15. mONUMENTS AND MUSEUMS

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TOURIST BOARD
& CONVENTION BUREAU
Monuments and Museums Guide to the Province of Málaga
1. A STROLL AROUND ‘MÁLAGA, THE BEAUTIFUL’
2. VÉLEZ MÁLAGA: AXARQUÍA’ S JEWEL
page 4
page 12
SAYALONGA, CÓMPETA, CANILLAS DE ALBAIDA, CORUMBELA, DAIMALOS AND ARENAS.
page 21
3. THE MUDÉJAR ROUTE: CANILLAS DEL ACEITUNO, SEDELLA, SALARES, ÁRCHEZ,
4. THE CIVILISATIONS ROUTE: FRIGILIANA, NERJA, MARO, TORROX, ALGARROBO,
MACHARAVIAYA, BENAQUE, RINCÓN DE LA VICTORIA AND TOTALÁN.
5. THE SIERRA AND SEA ROUTE: COMARES, RIOGORDO, COLMENAR, ALFARNATEJO,
ALFARNATE, PERIANA, ALCAUCÍN AND VIÑUELA.
6. THE TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE ROUTE: MOCLINEJO, ALMÁCHAR, EL BORGE, CÚTAR,
BENAMARGOSA, BENAMOCARRA AND IZNATE.
7. THE WATCHTOWER ROUTE: TORREMOLINOS, BENALMÁDENA, MIJAS, FUENGIROLA, MARBELLA,
BENAHAVÍS, ESTEPONA, MANILVA AND CASARES.
8. RONDA: QUEEN OF THE SERRANÍA AND NEIGHBOURING ARRIATE.
9. THE MOORS AND CHRISTIANS ROUTE: IGUALEJA, PUJERRA, PARAUTA, CARTAJIMA, JÚZCAR, FARAJÁN,
ALPANDEIRE, ATAJATE, BENADALID, BENALAURÍA, ALGATOCÍN, JUBRIQUE, GENALGUACIL, BENARRABÁ AND GAUCÍN.
10. THE ORIGINS OF MAN ROUTE: BENAOJÁN, MONTEJAQUE, JIMENA DE LÍBAR AND
page 40
page 62
page 81
page 94
page 122
page 138
CORTES DE LA FRONTERA.
page 162
MONDA, OJÉN AND ISTÁN.
page 173
11. THE WATER ROUTE: EL BURGO, YUNQUERA, ALOZAINA, CASARABONELA, TOLOX, GUARO,
12. THE MEDIAEVAL FORTRESS ROUTE: ALMOGÍA, ALHAURÍN DE LA TORRE,
ALHAURÍN EL GRANDE, COÍN, CÁRTAMA, PIZARRA, ÁLORA, VALLE DE ABDALAJÍS, CARRATRACA, ARDALES,
COSTA DEL SOL TOURIST BOARD
Plaza del Siglo, 2
29015 Málaga
Telephone: (+34) 952 12 62 72
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.visitcostadelsol.com
www.visitcostadelsol.com
2
Graphic design: Conmunica Mediatrader S.L.U.
Editing: IT Department at the Tourist Board and
Conmunica Mediatrader S.L.U.
CAMPILLOS, SIERRA DE YEGUAS, TEBA, ALMARGEN, CAÑETE LA REAL AND CUEVAS DEL BECERRO.
13. ANTEQUERA: A CULTURAL CROSSROADS
14. A ROUTE THROUGH BANDIT TERRITORY: MOLLINA, HUMILLADERO, FUENTE DE PIEDRA,
page 196
page 240
ALAMEDA, CUEVAS BAJAS, CUEVAS DE SAN MARCOS, VILLANUEVA DE ALGAIDAS, VILLANUEVA DE TAPIA,
ARCHIDONA, VILLANUEVA DEL TRABUCO, VILLANUEVA DEL ROSARIO, CASABERMEJA AND
VILLANUEVA DE LA CONCEPCIÓN.
15. MONUMENTS AND MUSEUMS
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The Alcazaba is linked to Gibralfaro Castle on
the north-east side. This castle dates from around
the 13th century and was built in response to the
need arising from advances in artillery and
military tactics that required a protection system
for the Alcazaba to be put in place. There are two
areas on the inside: the first and highest known
as the Main Patio houses the mosque (where in
the Christian era the now disappeared church of
San Luis was built), the well, the baths and the
Main Tower; the second lower central area
houses the Plaza de Armas with stables,
bathrooms and accommodation for the troops.
The Alcazaba-Gibralfaro complex has recently
been subject to a refurbishment project with a
Visitor Centre being installed in the old Gibralfaro
Arsenal building and the Archaeological Museum
in the Alcazaba.
As well as this magnificent monumental complex,
the most outstanding building in Málaga is, as
could be no other way, the Cathedral. In its first
incarnation, the original Cathedral was built on
part of the land occupied by the Aljama Mosque
pertaining to Islamic Málaga. Only the splendid
late-Gothic entry to the Sagrario church remains
from this first building. Work on the new Cathedral
began in the first quarter of the 16th century,
Cathedral
.
.
A Stroll around ‘Málaga, the Beautiful’
Málaga’s origins date back to the 8th century B.C. when a colony of Phoenician settlers
arrived on the coast and settled on the hillside where the Alcazaba lies today, founding the
ancient Malaka; remains of basins for drying and salting fish have been found around the
hillsides. The Romans later settled at the same spot, leaving behind what is undoubtedly their
most outstanding legacy – the Theatre. Built in the time of Augustus and extended in the
Flavian era, it is one of the oldest in Andalusia, albeit average in size. It is believed to have
been used until the 3rd century A.D.
Alcazaba
4
1.
STROLL
AROUND ‘MÁLAGA
THE BEAUTIFUL’
CONVENTION BUREAU
a
M álaga,
the bright and lively
capital of the Costa
del Sol, is lapped by
the Mediterranean,
unaware of the lure
its natural beauty
holds. The warm
light entices you to
travel along the
seafront and let
yourself be enraptured
by the soft sea breeze
refreshing the relentless
summer evenings, or
perhaps take up the
seductive offer of the
biznagueros or jasmine vendors,
revelling in the aroma of fresh
jasmine, to then take a seat in one of
the beach bars and savour the traditional
sardine skewers and local small fried fish
speciality whilst the night sky turns the serene
Alcazaba citadel a soft shade of blue.
In 711 A.D., Málaga was conquered by the Moors,
who lived in these lands for seven centuries.
During this period, and especially after the 11th
century, Málaga was a flourishing city; the most
notable Islamic monument in the city still
surviving today, the Alcazaba, was built around
this time, and made its mark on Málaga’s skyline
from that moment on. This urban fortress is
structured over two very distinct areas, the
residential area (made up of three palaces:
Fountains, Orange Trees and Pool) and the
military area located in the upper enclosure.
Málaga, Sun, Monuments and Museums
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Calle Larios (Larios Street)
The main doorway to Málaga Cathedral opens to
one side onto the central Plaza del Obispo where
Just two hundred metres away from the Abbey is
the Palacio de la Aduana or Customs Palace a
majestic 18th century building now housing the
collection from the Museum of Fine Arts as well
as other public offices.
Slightly further along is the Malagueta Bullring
and bullfighting museum (presently undergoing
refurbishment), the former Hotel Miramar, now
the Courthouse, the English Cemetery, etc.
This is a lovely walk along the seafront, which
also takes in the Municipal Museum.
The Castilian monarchy gave Málaga an
important religious infrastructure from the
beginning of the Modern Era and aided the
establishment of many religious communities to
such an extent that Baroque Málaga could well
have been seen as a city-convent. Started in the
16th century following Gothic Mudéjar models,
these buildings would attain their maximum
expression in the Baroque style after a brief
interlude of Renaissance approaches. The
following churches are considered to possess the
greatest artistic merit: the Sagrario (Sacrarium),
Santiago (St. James), San Juan (St. John),
Santos Mártires (Holy Martyrs), Santo Cristo
de la Salud (Our Lord of Health), San Felipe
(St. Philip), San Pedro (St. Peter) and the
Nuestra Señora de la Victoria Sanctuary where
the city’s patron saint, Our Lady of Victory, rests
in a spectacularly decorative beautiful chapel.
The open, plural and modern city of Málaga has
managed to preserve its most deep-rooted
traditions. A good example of this is the great
brotherhood tradition it is so proud of, hosting
more than forty Brotherhoods and Fraternities
with some possessing fine artistic heritage on
display in the respective Brotherhood Houses, as
well as on show each year during the Holy Week
processions. This is true for the Cofradía de la
Expiración Museum in Plaza Enrique Navarro,
the Cofradía de la Esperanza Museum in Hilera
Street and the Cofradía del Santo Sepulcro and
Cofradía de Estudiantes in Alcazabilla Street.
However, the selection of museums in the Costa
del Sol capital does not stop here, with further
spaces of interest such as the Museum of
Popular Art and Traditions, located in the
former Mesón Victoria Inn (dating from the 17th
6
.
.
Along with architectural excellence, the Cathedral
possesses great artistic heritage found in the
seventeen chapels inside, with work by great
maestros from the Spanish Baroque era such as
Alonso Cano, Pedro de Mena, Claudio Coelo,
etc. as well as minor works from the 16th, 17th
and 18th centuries. In addition, the cathedral
museum, located in the former Chapter House
buildings, houses two rooms displaying an
important collection of sculptural as well as
pictorial works, liturgical ornaments and
magnificent silver and marble pieces.
Lying close to the Cathedral is the Cistercian
Abbey of Santa Ana displaying part of its
immense artistic heritage in its Museum of
Religious Art, highlights of which include the
collection of Baby Jesus sculptures and
profession of faith letters (documents where the
monastic women confirm their promise to
voluntarily submit to the Rule of the Order).
The Málaga of today, however, is the result of a
modernisation process started in the middle of
the 19th century when the sale of church property
allowed some convents to be demolished and a
new cityscape to be built on the land. It was at this
time when, amongst other places, Marqués de
Larios Street and the Plaza de la Constitución,
a key location for civil and occasional religious
events in the city, came into being. The Cervantes
Theatre building dates from around this time, the
mid-19th to the early 20th century, as well as
some historical buildings in the Paseo del
Parque such as the Vice-Chancellor’s offices
at the University of Málaga, a lovely neoMudéjar building, or the neo-Baroque Town Hall.
Abadía del Palacio de la Aduana (Abbey of
the Customs Palace)
In terms of conceptual content, the iconography
is concentrated around the ambulatory and
Chancel, whose semicircular plan expresses the
idea of Triumph for the church through Surrender,
starting with the Mystery of the Incarnation (to
which the Cathedral is dedicated) and concluding
with the Sacrifice of the Mass celebrating the
Eucharist.
the magnificent Baroque façade Episcopal
Palace is located (dating from the 16th-18th
centuries), whose interior space is spread around
a large porticoed patio. The ground and first floors
are used rooms for temporary exhibitions, with
the second and last floors as private rooms used
by the Bishopric.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Museo catedralicio (The Cathedral Museum)
following plans by Diego de Siloé and schemas
based on Granada and Toledo. Other work and
refurbishment of the original plan took place
throughout the century under the supervision of
the important architects Andrés Vandelvira and
Diego de Vergara who gave it a Renaissance
stamp. In the 17th century, the old Cathedral was
demolished and construction of the choir
commenced, although it would take until the 18th
century for the two new parts to be linked with
those from the 16th and 17th centuries under the
supervision of Antonio Ramos. At this time the
Baroque exterior façades and the elevation of the
single tower were carried out – the works coming
to a standstill and leaving the southern tower
unfinished giving it the affectionate name of la
manquita (‘the little cripple’).
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Museo - Casa Natal de Picasso (Picasso's
Birthplace Museum)
There are two museums dedicated to the city’s
most international artist, Pablo Picasso: the
Birthplace Museum (where the Foundation
bearing his name is located) and the magnificent
Picasso Museum of Málaga. Located in the
heart of the old town, in a magnificent example of
Andalusian civic architecture dating from the 16th
century, the Buenavista Palace, this museum
holds over two hundred works from the private
collections of Christine and Bernard RuizPicasso, the artist’s daughter-in-law and
grandson.
The selection of oil paintings, drawings, sculptures,
ceramics and graphic art provide a good overview of the
artistic genius’s revolutionary innovations, mastering a
variety of styles, materials and techniques. Fortunately, it
is now possible to enjoy this artistic legacy the city of
Málaga so longed to recover, the opening of this
museum meaning a definitive move forward in terms of
tourist and museum attractions in Málaga.
MÁLAGA WINE MUSEUM
Address: Plaza de los Viñeros, 1 - 29008
Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 952 228 493
Fax: (+34) 952 227 990
Website: www.vinomalaga.com
Director: José Manuel Moreno Ferreiro
HOURS
Summer (1 Apr-30 Sept)
Mon-Sat, 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Winter (1 Oct-31 Mar)
Tue-Sun, 11:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
ADMISSION
€5/ visitor - €3/ groups (min. 10 people) - €3/
young and senior visitors.
The ticket gives access to a guided tour of the
museum's two floors, the watching of a ten-minute video, and a sampling of two Málaga wines.
All ticket prices include the same services.
Groups should have at least ten members.
Young visitors and senior citizens must hold the
relevant ID cards.
INTRODUCTION
Furthermore, the ground beneath the Palace also hides
a fascinating surprise, as the excavation work
undertaken during refurbishment uncovered exceptional
archaeological remains confirming Phoenician, Roman
and Moorish footprints in the city.
.
Fundación Picasso (Picasso Foundation)
Located in the heart of Málaga City's historic district, the Málaga Wine Museum opened in July 2008. In this eighteenth-century
building known as Palacio de Biedmas, history, culture and art get together around the
wine produced in Málaga Province, in an attempt to publicise wines with D.O. Málaga,
Sierras de Málaga, and Pasas de Málaga.
Index
Málaga Wine Museum
.
8
Málaga Wine Museum
Museo Picasso Málaga (Picasso Málaga
Museum)
CONVENTION BUREAU
century), displaying a large selection of objects
used in the past; the Doll’s House Museum; the
Interactive Music Museum; the Marine CentreMuseum, and the Contemporary Art Centre
showing travelling exhibitions. Outside the city
centre are the Airport and Air Transport
Museum, the Interactive Science and
Technology Museum, the Montes de Málaga
Anthropology Museum, and the beautiful La
Concepción Historical-Botanic Gardens.
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DESCRIPTION
The museum's contents have been pedagogically
divided into sections, and they are clearly signposted for self-guided tours.
a) Ground floor:
Exhibition Area: over 400 lithographs (Málaga wine bottle labels and posters of the late nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries), bottles, and unique pieces (cartouches, printing stones, raisin cases, and promotional material from Málaga-based
wineries of the nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries.
Multimedia and Sampling Room: Video going
over major production areas and giving an idea of
Málaga's wine diversity. After the video, the atmosphere is ideal to sample some wines.
Wine Shops: D.O. wines and raisins (in season),
wine accessories, souvenirs.
CONVENTION BUREAU
In an 800 sqm surface area, the museum holds
an exhibition area, a visitor centre, an ongoing
training room, a sampling room, and a wine shop.
Its activities go beyond those typical of museums
to encompass those of centre for the knowledge
of wine and its associated culture.
b) First floor:
Wine History: A history of wine in Málaga from
the Phoenicians to the present.
Wine Geography: A description of the physical
conditions of wine-making regions in Málaga
(Axarquía, Montes de Málaga, Northern Area,
Serranía de Ronda, Western Area) -types of soil,
weather, and relief.
The Vine: Characteristics and varieties of vines,
and cultivation practices (grafting, pruning, sun
drying).
From the Vineyard to the Press: Must production
procedures.
From Must to Wine: Wine-making techniques,
wine aging, types of wines, D.O. Málaga and D.O.
Sierras de Málaga wines.
Every section contains original instruments, replicas, machines, and documents.
The museum offers guided tours in Spanish,
English, French, German, and Greek. However,
self-guided tours are also possible, as there're information panels where visitors can read the most
relevant facts about each display cabinet in different languages.
.
.
A Stroll around ‘Málaga, the
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TOURIST BOARD &
v
Vélez’s name comes from the
Arabic word Ballix for valley. The
area, however, did not only experience Mohammedan occupation, with
archaeological remains of Phoenician settlements from the 8th century B.C. being found in
Toscanos and Chorreras alongside the documented Roman occupation. The different research carried out
in the area seems to show Vélez was founded in the 10th century with its original centre being the
Alcazaba fortress and the Villa neighbourhood – an ancient Arabic medina.
The major medina was well-fortified during the 13th and 15th centuries, crossing over its walled
enclosure to the areas where the Arroyo de San Sebastián neighbourhood and the two Plazas
(Constitución and San Francisco) are located. Vélez’s surrender took place on 27th April 1487
when Abdul-Kassim Venegas handed the city over to the commander of León. The arrival of the
A visit around the city’s monuments mainly
takes in the old town, which has been
declared Artistic Historical Heritage in 1970.
The authors of Strolls around Vélez-Málaga
Old Town, Emilio Martín Córdoba, Eduardo
Gallardo Téllez and Antonio Manuel Peña
Mández, propose sticking to the following
route starting in the Royal Convent of
Santiago, also known as San Francisco, as it
was handed to the Franciscan Order shortly
after its foundation. This complex was built
over a former mosque, consecrated as a
church only a few months after the surrender.
In the 16th and 17th centuries it was
reformed and left with only a few elements
such as the coffered ceiling in the main
chapel dome from the primitive Mudéjar
building. The only cloister remaining from the
original two is also very interesting, housing
a magnificent Mudéjar-style arcade on the
lower floor and Roman arches on the upper.
Although in the 18th century it underwent its
most severe renovation under the guidance
of Martín de Aldehuela, the author of notable
work such as the Church of San Felipe Neri
(St. Philip) in Málaga or the bridge over the
Tajo de Ronda canyon. The small Buen
Pastor (Good Shepherd) chapel dates from
this era with a choir nave, chancel and dome.
Its lavish decoration follows the reigning
San Francisco neighbourhood, firstly home
to artisans and the bourgeoisie and then
nobles and royal officials, sprung up around
this convent with examples of civic architecture, such as ancestral homes and palaces
still seen in the streets. The Palace of the
Marquesses of Benielis one of the most
notable buildings in Vélez and the present
headquarters of the María Zambrano
Foundation, one of the town’s most famous
daughters. This mixed Mudéjar-style and late
Renaissance building was built by Alonso de
Molina y Medrano at the beginning of the
17th century and has a beautiful patio with
segmental Roman arches resting on Tuscan
columns, around which the space is organ-
Convento de Santiago o San Francisco (Royal
Convent of Santiago or St. Francis)
Baroque taste of the era. The Evangelical
aisle, the high choir at the foot of the main
nave and magnificent vaulted niche façade
were built last.
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12
Vélez-Málaga
Vélez-Málaga
2. ÉLEZ-MÁLAGA:
AXARQUÍA’S JEWEL
The municipality
extends out over the
rich extensive River
Vélez plain taking in
various towns including
some major centres such
as Torre del Mar – a topflight tourist enclave.
CONVENTION BUREAU
T he capital
of
Axarquía,
Vélez-Málaga, is
the largest and
most inhabited
town in the
county, logically
being one of the
most important
in terms of historical artistic
heritage.
Christians brought a new plan for the city,
introducing urban and architectural renewal
that included the planning of public squares,
civil buildings and, especially, the construction or remodelling of religious buildings. The
importance of religious orders in the process
cannot be forgotten, starting with the consecration and conversion of the former
mosques into churches and later construction of convents. This is why some authors
have classed Vélez as a “convent city”.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Another example of noteworthy civic architecture is the Casa de Cervantes, so-called
for Miguel de Cervantes’ stay here in 1591
on a visit to Vélez as a tax collector. This is
a large ancestral house with a lintelled entry
and interior courtyard, with a gallery atop
triple Roman arches supported by brick
columns.
Before leaving San Francisco neighbourhood, we recommend going up to the Cerro
de San Cristobál mount, where the chapel to
the area’s patron saint, the Virgen de los
Remedios (Our Lady of Remedies), is located. Built in the mid-17th century – albeit with
major later refurbishment – it has a Latin
cross plan with a choir gallery at the foot.
The transept naves and chancel are covered
by quadrant vaults with lunettes and transverse ribs resting on pendentives. The rococo style chapel houses mural paintings on
the oval medallions in the scallops representing Felipe V and María Luisa de Saboya.
Iglesia de San Juan Bautista (St. John the
Baptist church)
In the old San Sebastián quarter is another
chapel devoted to this saint and is well worth
a visit. It was founded in 1487, in homage to
the royal groom Sebastián Fernández who,
according to legend, saved Ferdinand the
Catholic’s life. Only a lancet arch resting on
strong pillars from what was the chancel
remains from the original structure.
Back in San Francisco neighbourhood and
continuing the route along Tiendas street,
the layout of the ancient city walls – with
some turrets still remaining – can be seen
until Fernando VI fountain. Built in marble
with a classical décor and style, it has four
jets coming from the heads of mythological
creatures.
Fuente de Fernando VI (Fernando VI fountain)
14
.
.
Casa de Cervantes (Home of Cervantes)
In Plaza de la Constitución, better known as
San Juan, is San Juan Bautista (St. John
the Baptist) church.Founded by the
Catholic Monarchs and extended in 1564, it
has a basilic plan with three naves and a
transept. It only retains the large bell tower
finished in a ceramic pyramidal spire and
part of the façade from the original GothicMudéjar style as, in 1853, it underwent vast
renovation work covering the Mudéjar coffered ceiling with false vaults and transforming the ogival arches into Roman ones. To
the inside, the great painted mural from 1985
by the famed local artist Francisco
Hernández is a highlight, covering the back
wall of the chancel: A triumphant Christ Our
Lord accompanied by the four Gospel writers. This parish also has serveral interesting
chapels such as the Baroque Sagrario or
Federico Vahey’s funeral chapel, whose
décor was also done by Francisco
Hernández. The vestry is accessed via a
Roman arch lintelled door with episcopal and
Eucharistic motif inserts, the 1789 sacristy
being attributed to Martín de Aldehuela with
its rich stone and lariat décor. This large
church has two doorways – a monumental
main entry following the vaulted niche model
and a side door, both in a neoclassical style.
Vélez-Málaga
Vélez-Málaga
Palacio de los Marqueses de Beniel (Palace
of the Marquesses of Beniel)
On the route around the city is the Cruz del
Arrabal, a small domed church with Roman
arches housing a simple cross. This building
evokes Ferdinand the Catholic’s entry into
the city.
CONVENTION BUREAU
ised and laid out, with a magnificent
Renaissance coffered ceiling above the stairwell. To the outside, the marble façade with
Molina Medrano family shields, wrought-iron
balconies and upper terrace, originally a pair
of towers, are highlights.
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TOURIST BOARD &
From here, we head to the former San José
de la Soledad (Saint Joseph of Solitude)
convent founded by Antonio de Jesús in
1591 with its interesting Mannerist façade.
This building has now been restored and
turned into the Carmen Theatre.
Lastly, we cross the Royal City Gate – one
of the four gates surrounding the medina –
and head into Villa neighbourhood. The
zigzag streets lead us to Santa María de la
Encarnación
(Our
Lady
of
the
Incarnation), one of the most impressive
churches in the province. It was built in the
late 15th and early 16th century on the foundations of the former Aljama mosque, housing three naves separated by rectangular
columns supporting pointed arches covered
with Mudéjar trusses. In the Epistle nave is a
porticoed gallery with horseshoe arches and
columns with unbeatable views out over the
city. The high altarpiece is a magnificent
Renaissance example, with three layers resting on a bench with reliefs portraying the life
of the Virgin.
Puerta Real (Royal City Gate)
Santa María de la Encarnación
16
.
.
Heading then to Plaza de las Carmelitas, we
come across the Jesús, María y José
(Jesus, Mary and Joseph) convent better
known as the Carmelitas (Carmelite) convent. The church was built between 1738 and
1745 and has a single nave with a square
apse converted into a chapel to house the
Convento de Jesús, María y José (Jesus, Mary
and Joseph convent)
Vélez-Málaga
Vélez-Málaga
Capilla de la Virgen de la Piedad (Virgen de
la Piedad Chapel)
Heading to Nuestra Señora de Gracia (Our
Lady of Grace) convent, known as the
Clarisas (Order of St. Clare) convent for the
order occuping the building since 1555, this
primitive church was demolished after the
1755 earthquake and rebuilt in the mid-18th
century in a Baroque style. It is accessed via
an arched atrium covered by Gothic fan
vaulting down the sides and an oval dome in
the centre. It is an extremely simple church
with a single-nave rectangular plan, polygonal apse and a choir at the foot, although this
simplicity is covered by the exuberant decoration in stone, garlands, cornices, etc. covering the walls and contrasting with the austerity of the convent complex. The convent
has a beautiful 18th-century rectangular-plan
cloister surrounded by a two-floored Roman
arched gallery although, being secluded, no
visits are allowed.
Virgen del Carmen (Our Lady of Carmen). In
the chapel, the Baroque decoration of polychrome plasterwork is accentuated and contrasts with the simplicity in the rest of the
building. The fresco paintings in the dome
and vault are also noteworthy, belonging to
the 18th-century Granada school. To the
exterior, the façade is framed by two pendentives and finished by a triangular pediment
under which the Mannerist style stone doorway opens out. With regards to the convent
house attached to the church, it has two
beautiful courtyards: the Principal patio and
the patio of Flowers although, as in the previous example, the rigorous seclusion means
no visits are allowed.
CONVENTION BUREAU
This street leads to a small square where the
mid-18th century Baroque style Virgen de la
Piedad (Our Lady of Piety) chapel is located, raised and framed by a large Roman arch
lined by Corinthian pendentives supporting a
curved pediment. The façade is surrounded
by a gallery-terrace where views over the
processions may be enjoyed. The building is
completed by a lantern. With regards to the
interior, the polygonal plan has rich ornamentation and houses the images of Our
Father Jesus the Rich and the Virgin, carved
in the 20th century.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Alcazaba
Next to Santa María la Mayor is the fort or
Alcazaba, already documented in records
dating from the 13th century. Its mission was
to guard over the city and, for this reason, it
has a sixteen-metre tower which, after extensive reforms, still stands today.
If visitors would like to get to know this inexhaustible city further, we recommend going
down Granada Street to the former San Juan
de Dios or San Marcos hospital founded by
the Catholic Monarchs and ceded to the San
Juan de Dios (St. John of God) order in the
17th century.
Address: C/ Real de la Villa, s/n
Iglesia de Santa María
29700 Vélez-Málaga
Tel.: (+34) 951 284 300 / (+34) 669 573 092
Website: www.ayto-velezmalaga.es
HOURS
The museum is open Tue-Sat, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
and 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.; Sun, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Closed on Mondays. Admission is free.
DESCRIPTION
Inaugurated on 20 February 2007, this museum
displays a wide array of items connected with
Holy Week performances: sculptures and carvings, paintings, embroideries, goldsmithing and
silver work, mantillas, cloaks, crowns, and so on.
It also holds complementary cultural and leisure
activities, which are scheduled to take place throughout the year, such as sacred and chamber
music concerts or Easter food samplings (which
have a section of their own), among others.
Fraternity Museum. Vélez-Málaga
Finally, if we continue through Tenerías and
Cruz del Cordero Streets, we get to Cruz del
Cordero (Lamb of God Cross) chapel, a
small commemorative church with a simple
wooden cross concluding this intense cultural route around Vélez – one of the most
important towns in our region thanks to its
amazing heritage.
18
.
.
Hospital de San Juan de Dios (San Juan de
Dios Hospital)
FRATERNITY MUSEUM. VÉLEZ-MÁLAGA
Vélez-Málaga
Vélez-Málaga
The church has two naves and a small rococo chapel dating from the 18th century. A
model Mudéjar brick courtyard remains from
the convent complex with a low Roman arch
gallery presently used as a residential home
for the elderly.
CONVENTION BUREAU
The sculpture of Christ of the Rock on the
altarpiece is remarkable, the main theme
portraying the miracle of the Incarnation. The
former centrewell still remains under the
church with its well and crypt. To the exterior,
the square-plan three-piece bell tower is not
attached to the church but separated from it
like an Arab minaret.
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PÆgina 20
TOURIST BOARD &
Vélez-Málaga
.
Fraternity Museum. Vélez-Málaga
..
20
Most Axarquía church bell towers are former minarets converted into belfries by Christians, who
removed the terraces and added bells at the top and most of the churches in the towns in
Bentomiz and Sierra Tejedass were built on former mosque foundations. They tend to have
rectangular plans with a single nave (or three, such as in Canillas del Aceituno) and be covered
in typical coffered ceilings.
U n p a s e oT hpeo rM" M
u dáél aj ag ra Rl ao uBteel l a "
Mudéjar art utilised basic
material in buildings such as brick,
vitrified ceramics and plasterwork
meaning
buildings
could
be
constructed quickly and at a low cost. It
was the ornamentation substituting and
covering the low-cost materials that achieved
spectacular aesthetic results. The Mohammedan stamp of Mudéjar art also left its mark on
architectural structures such as bell towers and coffered ceilings (wooden roofs) that would cover
roofs in Christian churches.
CONVENTION BUREAU
t
3. HE MUDÉJAR
ROUTE
The term Mudéjar is
used for the HispanoMuslims who, after the
Christian conquest – in
1487 for Axarquía –
stayed in the new
Castilian state but
preserving their religion,
language and legal
framework. Mudéjar art
was
shown
and
developed thanks to the
Crown’s population need
to maintain economic
activity in the conquered
areas, although there was
also a certain admiration in
Christian society for Islamic
artistic creations.
Index
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PÆgina 22
TOURIST BOARD &
Canillas del Aceituno
Most Axarquía church bell towers are former
minarets converted into belfries by
Christians, who removed the terraces and
added bells at the top and most of the
churches in the towns in Bentomiz and
Sierra Tejedass were built on former mosque
foundations. They tend to have rectangular
plans with a single nave (or three, such as in
Canillas del Aceituno) and be covered in
typical coffered ceilings.
In the churches in Árchez and Salares, as well as
in Corumbela and Daimalos districts, the principal
bell tower constructions match 13th-14th century
Merini-inspired minaret styles, following Tlemcen
and Tunisian models. The exterior is decorated
from the second section with geometric filigrees
forming the so-called sebka works with horizontal
tile strips, pointed arches, etc. always leaving the
corners free. With a square plan, it is usually four
times as high as it is wide, lending it harmonious
proportions and extraordinary beauty.
RECOMMENDED ROUTE:
The Mudéjar route starts in Canillas del Aceituno
and ends in Arenas, although it may be done in
the opposite direction, if preferred.
If starting from Vélez, take the A-335 road and, at
Ramírez, before getting to La Viñuela reservoir,
follow the MA-125 diversion shown at the right
leading to Canillas del Aceituno. From Canillas,
the same county road on the MA-126 stretch
leads to Sedella from where we follow the MA127 stretch to Salares. Once our visit to these
three towns is over, head down the MA-158 to
Árchez. Go on to the MA-115 road to link up with
the A-6203 towards Sayalonga. Once the visit to
Sayalonga is over, return on the same A-6203
towards Cómpeta and continue on the A-6204 till
Canillas de Albaida. There are then two
possibilities at this point, the first going back,
whilst the second means taking a tarmac road
from Canillas de Albaida until Árchez, where we
carry on the Corumbela MA-116. Following the
same road on the MA-119 stretch, we reach
Daimalos district where the MA-118 stretch takes
us to Arenas. Once the route is finished, we
recommend going back on the MA-117 road back
to our starting point in Vélez-Málaga.
CANILLAS DEL ACEITUNO
Canillas del Aceituno is a town seemingly
perched on the hillside in Sierra Tejeda, where
views out over spectacular landscape may be
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario
(Nuestra Señora del Rosario Church)
enjoyed. Behind the pine forests, the high part
of the Sierra rises up with its impressive
massifs; to the south, the gentle hillocks
dotted with olive, fruit and almond trees as
well as vineyards and drying trellises
dominate the area.
Although some remains found in the area
show the presence of primitive man, the
town’s foundation is documented in the
Moorish era under the name of Canillas
Azzeitun or Azeytuno. The information
available seems to show that the former
Canillas farmstead was established around a
small castle or hins in the 13th century.
Presently, there is a large house built on the
land once occupied by the fortress, the socalled ‘friendly foot’ – the old castle base –
still being seen. Remains from the defensive
walls that once surrounded the village may be
seen from the castle vantage point and
sloping road.
.
.
22
The Mudéjar Route
The Mudéjar Route
Mudéjar art utilised basic material in buildings
such as brick, vitrified ceramics and
plasterwork meaning buildings could be
constructed quickly and at a low cost. It was
the ornamentation substituting and covering
the low-cost materials that achieved
spectacular
aesthetic
results.
The
Mohammedan stamp of Mudéjar art also left
its mark on architectural structures such as
bell towers and coffered ceilings (wooden
roofs) that would cover roofs in Christian
churches.
CONVENTION BUREAU
The term Mudéjar is used for the
Hispano-Muslims who, after the Christian
conquest – in 1487 for Axarquía – stayed in the
new Castilian state but preserving their religion,
language and legal framework. Mudéjar art was
shown and developed thanks to the Crown’s
population need to maintain economic activity in
the conquered areas, although there was also a
certain admiration in Christian society for Islamic
artistic creations.
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PÆgina 24
TOURIST BOARD &
Sedella
This church has experienced some changes
and logical alterations throughout the years,
falling into the Gothic-Mudéjar style with its
three naves separated by Gothic lancet
arches. The main aisle is forty metres long
and eight wide, illustrating the scope of this
church. There are eleven altars in different
architectural styles in the side naves, two
having great artistic quality matching a
Baroque style and dating from the 18th
century. The interior roof is a Mudéjar style
wooden coffered ceiling. The white exterior
walls enhance the church’s splendour, rising
out from a maze of narrow streets. However,
the most striking thing from the small
square, housing the main entrance and
façade, is the impressive ashlar tower rising
thirty-five metres high and divided into three
sections – the first two being square and the
last, octagonal.
The best recommendation for visitors to
Canillas is to wander the streets, as the entire
city centre is full of Mudéjar remnants to be
discovered. For example, at the Agua and San
Antonio crossing is a Moorish garret, an arch
spanning the street from wall to wall.
However, the famous structure popularly
known as Casa de la Reina Mora (House of
the Moorish Queen) should be highlighted
amongst civic architecture. It has a Mudéjar
tower and on two sides of the last floor are
Roman arches resting on pilasters. It was the
former Casa del Diezmo (Tithe House), where
tariffs on mulberries were paid and the area’s
silk production controlled.
The 16th century Casa Esgrafiada (Graphite
House) is also worth a visit with its paired
Mudéjar arches and painted in Moorish motifs.
It also has a view tower dating from the 18th
century rising above the whitewashed house
landscape.
In the area known as Huertezuelo there is
also a former Mudéjar well worth a visit.
SEDELLA
Iglesia de San Andrés Apóstol (San Andrés
Apóstol Church)
Sedella is a beautiful Axarquía town located
on a hilltop it appears to slide down. The high
Sierra Tejeda massifs lie behind with the
facing fertile water- and spring-rich lands
making the cultivation of fruit, citrus, olive and
almond trees as well as vineyards possible,
accompanied by the inseparable trellises
giving rise to the characteristic landscape.
There is evidence of Sedille’s early
foundation, being cited in 617 by the Málaga
bishop Teodulfo. It was later mentioned by AlRazi in 927 when describing the strong people
and settlements conquered by Abd-arRahman III. This Arab chronicler also states
that Sedelía had always been inhabited by
Christians. The fleeing of the Mozarab
population was used by the Masmuda Berber
in the 12th century to create a farmstead
belonging to the Bentomiz Taha (district). A
small castle or hins was built there right on the
hilltop, where the town centre is now located,
although there are hardly any remains left
from that time today. This town was under
Moorish rule until it was seized by the armies
sent by the Catholic Monarchs in 1487. When
.
.
24
The Mudéjar Route
The Mudéjar Route
Casa de la Reina Mora (House of the
Moorish Queen)
The burning of the former mosque during the
Moorish rebellion is also documented, as well
as the subsequent construction of the new
Nuestra Señora del Rosario (Our Lady of
the Rosary) on its foundations only twentyeight years later, in 1597. Three entrance
arches from this primitive mosque may be
seen in Olivo Street. Some materials used in
the construction are detailed in old documents
held in the Municipal Archive in Málaga: ‘30
pine beams measuring thirteen feet, ten
dozen boards and six buttresses made of
wood panels measuring eleven feet cut into
cuarta (9x9) and sexma (8x5), for building
said church in Canillas del Aceituno’.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Halfway between an account and a legend is
the story of the Moor Al Muezzín who arrived
in Canillas, accompanied by other men,
aiming to rescue his wife who had been
made a Christian slave. Eight Christians
died in the ensuing struggle, leading to
sever reprisals being taken against the
Moors (torture, looting, etc.). It is said that
these harsh measures taken by the
Christians led to the subsequent Moorish
revolt, ending in the destruction of the Arab
castle and the expulsion of the Moors
ordered by Felipe II in 1569.
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TOURIST BOARD &
The now disappeared Mudéjar church
dedicated to to Saint Andrew had three
naves and a bell tower. The present Christian
church in Sedella has a single rectangular
nave but the original bell tower still stands,
the limestone arch and geometric decoration
being a faithful representation of its Mudéjar
heritage.
Salares
Perhaps Sedella’s greatest charm for visitors
is a pleasant stroll around the steep
whitewashed streets, full of beautiful corners
showing off its heritage, customs and
traditions. The whiteness of the houses is
interrupted by truly colourful trained vines or
plant pots. It is interesting to go into the patios
and appreciate the exquisite proportions and
beauty in spite of the sober decoration. The
public wash house located at the entrance to
the town, with its very humble architecture, as
well as the Arab baths, are also unique.
The Casa Torreón (Tower House), former
mansion to the Lord of Sedalla, Commander
of the Donceles regiment, lies in the heart of
the town centre, next to Plaza de la Iglesia.
This 17th-century Mudéjar building has a solid
stature with its square plan still conserving
Moorish designs. The tower opens out in its
highest part, serving as a vantage point
through paired Roman arches resting on
columns. It has a hip roof with a beam frame
and an incomparable landscape of white
houses surrounded by marvellous countryside
may be seen from here.
For those interested in getting to know ancient
crafts, in the outskirts of Sedella in the nearby
spot of Molino is a restored flour mill, where
the enormous stone grinder mechanism and
tools used in this task may be seen. A visit to
the Museo de Aperos y Utensilios Los
Marcelos (Los Marcelos Farm Equipment
and Tool Museum), a private ethnographic
museum, is worthwhile, although only
possible in the summer months.
Another worthy building is the Chapel of
Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza y San
Antón (Our Lady of Hope and Saint Anton),
where the town’s patron saints are
worshipped. This small chapel dates from the
17th century and is located at one of the
entrances to Sedella. The rectangular plan
and architectural shapes are extremely simple
with the interior décor being more Baroque; in
fact, the small throne where the patron saint
sits stands out and is an almost exact replica
of that used for the Virgen de Nuestra Señora
de la Victoria, the patron saint of Málaga.
Salares is home to buildings, spots and stories
stirring visitors’ emotions. A small whitewashed
village located in the heart of Málaga Axarquía
with the Tejeda and Almijaras Sierras lying to the
rear, the Salares River to the east and the
Tozones Ravine to the west, Salares is a small
orchard where time appears to have stood still,
inviting visitors to discover a way of life having
disappeared from large cities and towns.
SALARES
The layout of the town centre and houses is
clearly due to Moorish influences and the
landscape. Located on a hillock, the houses
slide from north to south in narrow, sloping
streets – some with steps to help manage the
Iglesia de Santa Ana. Torre campanario
(Santa Ana Church. Bell Tower)
.
.
26
The Mudéjar Route
The Mudéjar Route
Lavadero público (Public wash house)
CONVENTION BUREAU
the Moorish uprising took place in 1569, the
Christian church and a large number of
houses were destroyed.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Sloping street in Salares
The Mudéjar-style Santa Ana church dates
from the 16th century and has a rectangular
plan, a single nave with transept – a later
edition to the building – and side chapels
along the left-hand side. It is covered with a
wooden roof that was restored at the end of
the 20th century. The outside is very simple
and is accessed from the Gospel side via a
Roman arch. The brick and stone bell tower
was declared a National Monument in 1979
and is, in reality, the minaret of a former 13th
century mosque. It has three decorated
sections to its four sides: the first, lacking
decoration, had two white tile strips with blue
diamonds separating it from the second
section, from which there is only a rectangle
remaining. The second section is the longest
in length and covered in extraordinarily
beautiful sebka works (geometric filigrees
done in red brick) leaving the corners free and
without decoration. The last begins from a
separating impost and is the Christian bell
section. The small church conserves an
attached patio where the remains of the
former mosque may be viewed.
Another important building is the so-called
Casa Torreón. This traditional house in the
town centre conserves one of the towers from
the former Moorish castle. It is documented
that Salares was a farmstead belonging to
Bentomiz district with origins dating back to
the 12th century.
To the most easterly part of the village,
crossing the River Salares, is another
example of this area’s historical legacy: the
so-called Roman bridge, although some
researchers date the construction to the
mediaeval period. Though following a simple
building plan, its magnificent state of
conservation and the surrounding landscape
lend it unique beauty. It is a single span
Roman arch bridge with a pitched balustrade
supporting the buttresses on the rock. Its
width allows carts to pass, with one of the
primitive connecting routes with the
neighbouring town of Benascalera starting
here. The abundant vegetation following the
course of the river, the birdsong and rumbling
of the water seduce visitors into rest and
meditation.
After the expulsion of the Moors and Salares’
submission to the Marquess of Comares, the
town’s economy was mainly based on
smallholder farms of olives, fruit and vines,
laid out on terraces. At present, these farms
are owned by some villagers who, with the
help of mules, look after and produce modest
harvests destined for self-sufficiency rather
than business. When strolling through
Salares, local hospitality may be enjoyed
where, although immersed in their daily
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación
(Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación Church)
chores, locals never refuse to strike up a
spontaneous conversation on the ways of life
thought forgotten and the customs and
traditions only natives know.
It is noteworthy that the famous red Rome
grape is grown here from tight bunches
producing excellent wine with a different
flavour to other Axarquía wines and which,
naturally, visitors are invited to try.
ÁRCHEZ
Árchez is a small peaceful village of
whitewashed houses located in the heart of
Axarquía, at the foot of the Tejeda and Sierra
Almijaras. Strolling around Árchez is a
pleasure with the murmur of the encircling
river and the continuous joyous birdsong
accompanying our movements around the,
.
.
28
The Mudéjar Route
The Mudéjar Route
Roman bridge
As we head into the narrow streets, we notice
a succession of tiles showing different
moments from the Via Crucis. If we follow the
route shown, we get to the centre and the
village’s most important building, being a
symbol of its history: Santa Ana church.
Contrary to most Axarquía villages, the heart
of Salares is not a square or a large open
space but, rather, the natural crossroads
between the main streets. Facing the church
front is a row of balconies overlooking the
present entry road into the village and the
rolling surrounding hills full of terraces and
orchards.
CONVENTION BUREAU
land drops. Its name, however, has a Latin
origin (Salaria Bastitanorum), as there
appears to have been a salt deposit located in
the outskirts.
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TOURIST BOARD &
It is documented that Árchez was conquered
in 1487 by the Christian troops sent by the
Catholic Monarchs, becoming a part of the
Marquess of Comares’, Diego Fernández de
Córdoba, estate alongside Canillas del
Aceituno, Corumbela, Algarrobo and Salares.
It is also known that most of its inhabitants
were Moors until 1609, when Felipe III
decreed their expulsion, seeing them as a
threat to the religious unity of CounterReformation Spain.
Single Span Bridge
The most loved village jewel, the beautiful
14th century Nasrid minaret, rises up
majestically and attractively high, aware of its
prominence and the admiration it inspires.
The 15-metre high – four times the width –
square-plan building has proportioned beauty
and is located next to the church to the right
of the transept, where the interior is accessed.
To the inside is a spiral staircase leading to
the highest section topped by two bells known
as Nuestra Señora del Pilar (Our Lady of
Pilar) and Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación.
In the latter is a curious inscription reading:
‘Made by Ramón Rivas, the parish priest
being Ildefonso Tomé y García and the mayor,
Antonio Azuaga. 1876.’
Based on the exterior decoration, three
sections can be made out on the Árchez
minaret. The first is decorated on four sides
by red brick work forming mixtilinear
diamonds known as sebkas. The separation
between one section and another is
decoratively achieved by inserting a narrow
line of white and blue diamond tiles. In the
second section is further typical Moorish
ornamentation formed on a basis of blind
horseshoe arches. Lastly, the Christian bell
section crowns the primitive minaret, declared
a national artistic historical monument in 1979
and fully restored in 1989.
Sayalonga
As well as the necessary visit to the Mudéjar
jewel, it is well worth taking a stroll along the
Turvilla riverbanks, next to the village, where
alongside a beautiful landscape, there are
three flour mills known as Doña Fidela,
Reusto and Castrán. Although not in use,
lovers of ancient traditions and crafts may
admire their large heavy millstones.
On the so-called mine route, next to the mills,
is an example of Roman civic architecture –
a magnificently large single span bridge
with remains of the road once connecting the
different villages. It is in excellent state of
repair.
Iglesia de Santa Catalina de Sayalonga (St.
Catalina de Sayalonga Church)
.
.
30
The Mudéjar Route
The Mudéjar Route
San Pedro de Sayalonga Church Minaret
Moorish heritage may be seen in the square
where the only surviving evidence of the former
mosque is located: the most famous Mudéjar
minarets in the spot where, today, the bell
tower of the Nuestra Señora de la
Encarnación (Our Lady of the Incarnation)
church stands. The Mudéjar-style 15th-century
church was built over the foundations of the
former mosque and is a small and simple
design. It is entered at the bottom and has a
single nave with just a few vaulted side niches
housing different sculptures of saints, images
of Jesus Christ and virgins worshipped by the
locals, some being paraded in Holy Week. The
High Altar is crowned by the Virgin of the
Incarnation to whom the church is dedicated.
The restored wooden coffered ceiling covers
the entire central nave, supported by the
unquestionable Mudéjar style crosspieces.
CONVENTION BUREAU
what else, narrow, short and zigzag streets
betraying Moorish roots.
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TOURIST BOARD &
SAYALONGA
Sayalonga municipality is near the coast,
although it has an abrupt and rough lie
despite housing no large hills. This main
feature shapes its character, making it more
like Axarquía inland areas than the typical
coastal villages.
.
San Cristóbal con el Niño. Iglesia de la
Asunción (St. Christopher with baby Jesus.
La Asunción Church)
Although the Mudéjar church of Santa
Catalina de Sayalonga was burnt down
during the Moorish rebellion and the original
coffered ceiling being lost, the main structure
The exterior is notably simple, with Mudéjar
moulding to the entry and a magnificent
square-plan tower, the upper octagonal
section with Roman arches.
The chapel of San Antón, separate to the
church, houses a beautiful 18th-century
statue of the saint in polychrome wood. The
most outstanding structure in Sayalonga is
probably the cemetery, characterised by its
circular plan and vaulted niches. Its different
structure makes it a surprising space
captivating visitors.
Iglesia de la Asunción (La Asunción Church)
Although its name seems to come from the
Latin ‘Compita-Orum’ meaning crossroads or
meeting point, there are no archaeological or
documentary remains substantiating the
theory of Roman foundation. There is
evidence that Berber tribes lived here in the
13th century, giving rise to a farmstead with a
small castle. This was still standing in the 15th
century when the farmstead belonged to the
Bentomiz district, falling into Christian hands
during Vélez’s general surrender in 1487. The
Moorish rebellion in 1569 not only meant the
destruction of most of the houses and the
primitive church of Nuestra Señora de la
Asunción (Our Lady of the Assumption), but
also the need to repopulate the area with
Christian colonists taking charge of the
confiscated Moorish assets. Throughout the
following years, the area experienced a period
of progress thanks to raisin and charab
almalaqui (now known as Cómpeta wine) wine
exports. The last third of the 19th century was
dreadful for the region, affected by the 1884
earthquake, the 1885 Málaga cholera
epidemic and the fateful phylloxera outbreak
that devastated vines in 1887. Nonetheless,
the area managed to recover from all those
aforementioned events through effort and
determination and has become the
prosperous village we see today thanks to
tourism. Cómpeta is now seen as a paradise
CÓMPETA
Known as ‘the Cornice of the Mediterranean’,
Cómpeta is one of the most spectacular
municipalities in Axarquía. Sheltered by the
Sierra Almijara to the north and by Axarquía
mountains to the south, the landscape is
dotted with vineyards and white farmhouses,
abundant springs and ancient roads
connecting Málaga and Granada.
.
32
We know there were three farmsteads in
Sayalonga municipality in the Moorish period
which, in the 15th century, belonged to
Bentomiz
district:
Sayalonga
itself,
Corumbela and Batarjiz. At present,
Corumbela is a district of Sayalonga, making
up twenty per cent of the population, whilst
Batarjiz has been reduced to archaeological
remains.
remained intact. Located in the highest part of
the village, it was built over the foundations of
a primitive mosque and has two naves
separated by a Roman arch gallery resting on
pillars. The central nave is covered by a
Mudéjar frame whilst the other, smaller, aisle
is off to the right and houses the chapel with
the polychrome statue of the 17th-century
Virgen del Rosario, the patron saint.
The Mudéjar Route
The Mudéjar Route
Cómpeta
The clearly Moorish centre has a unique
feature, being crossed by two parallel streets
branching out into narrow streets. Crossing
the village allows visitors to appreciate
popular architecture, following a whitewashed
house style made from stone and brick over
two floors with grated balconies and a gabled
roof with Moorish tiles. There are also several
fountains, the oldest and most popular being
known as the ‘Fountain of El Cid’, as well as
several squares which, although small, are
incredibly charming.
CONVENTION BUREAU
We also recommend those visitors with an
exquisite palate not to forget to try the
delicious raisins, almonds, figs and wine from
the fertile lands.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Ermita de San Antón (St. Anthony chapel)
Canillas de Albaida
La Asunción church was built in 1505 by
Royal Decree from Isabella the Catholic, but
after bloody standoffs between Moors and
Christians in 1569, it was seriously damaged
and rebuilt at the end of the 16th century; this
is the reason behind its Renaissance
appearance although subsequent Baroque
features were included, following tastes from
the era. It has three naves separated by
Roman arches resting on octagonal pillars
with a Mudéjar frame roof. The High Altar is
crowned by a fresco showing the Assumption
and painted by the Vélez painter Francisco
Hernández in 1972. This mural is framed by a
Mudéjar style cedar wood altarpiece by
Ronda native Juan Carlos Sedeño, all
accompanied by two statues of shining angels
by the Málaga sculptor Rafael Liébana.
Behind the High Altar, next to the vestry, is a
small room with some silver goods and
sculptures with a certain historical and artistic
value.
To the outside, the entry has a lintelled arch and
a pediment belfry with a niche where the Virgin of
the Assumption is worshipped. To the side is the
impressive thirty-five metre high Neo-Mudéjar
tower built in exposed brick between 1893 and
1935, after the original was damaged by the 1884
earthquake. There are four sections adorned with
windows depicting religious scenes. The third has
bevelled angles whilst the upper is surrounded by
an iron rail and has a shrine shape with a semispherical dome housing the bells.
Cómpeta has two small chapels, San Antón and
San Sebastián that, although not being
architecturally outstanding, are worth a visit. San
Antón is located on the street of the same name,
in the most south-westerly point of the village,
and dates from 1750. It is a simple rectangularplan building, preceded by an atrium with a
Roman arch and finished with a steeple housing
the statue of the Saint locals show deep devotion
to. San Sebastián is at the other end of the village
and is built over the remains of a former mosque.
It is a simple building with a single nave covered
by a semi-spherical dome resting on pendentives
and housing the statue of Cómpeta’s patron saint.
The entry is a Roman arch framed between
pilasters and finished with a split pediment
sheltering a small niche. The façade is finished
with a steeple housing a bell. Located in the
highest part of the village and the old centre, it
has some impressive sea views, as well as views
out over the neighbouring villages hanging from
the sierra and the province of Granada lying
Canillas de Albaida
behind. This seductive panoramic outlook helps
to understand the passion Cómpeta locals feel for
this fertile beautiful land they were born in.
CANILLAS DE ALBAIDA
Canillas de Albaida is located on a hill at
the foot of the Sierra Almijara next to the
River Llanada, whose water later runs into
the Sayalonga River. The municipality is
surprising for its varied landscapes: whilst
in the farthest north-east there are pine,
poplar, black poplar, rosebay and creeper
groves thanks to the shelter of the sierra
and water filtrations, the gentler south is
home to hillocks with vines, almond trees
and olive groves. The abundance of water
also means some irrigated land crops may
be cultivated with some orchards found
next to the nearby valleys.
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The Mudéjar Route
The Mudéjar Route
Panoramic view of Cómpeta
Plaza Almijara is Cómpeta’s nerve centre and
where the most noteworthy buildings may be
found: the Town Hall, Nuestra Señora de la
Asunción church, the Market, the fountain
and some businesses. The bar known as El
Museo (The Museum) is worth a mention as,
in reality, it is a business where people may
go to taste and buy local wine, as well as
being a museum of popular local art. The
houses surrounding the square run to three
floors but, the further away one gets, the
smaller the buildings, eventually becoming
single storey houses with trained vines and
humble Roman arches for doors and
windows. The uneven winding layout of the
streets is evidence of Moorish heritage that,
far from lacking harmony, lends an
extraordinary beauty. It is not in vain that
streets such as Barranco de Grana have won
many beauty prizes, although San Antonio
Street is the main street, splitting the village
into its two most popular areas: El Barrio and
El Monte.
CONVENTION BUREAU
to enjoy sunshine, wine, cuisine, the
landscape and, especially, local hospitality.
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TOURIST BOARD &
16th-century Santa Ana chapel is located
in the high part of the village. A barrel vault
spans the single nave ending in a
hemispherical dome at the end. To the
outside, note the thick overhanging
buttresses, as well as the preceding porch
and small niche. The layout of this simple
building is plain since the location benefits
from unbeatable panoramic views out over
the village and sierra.
Just a few metres before entering Canillas
centre is another pretty chapel. Built in the 18th
century, San Antón has a single nave covered
by a Mudéjar frame and an interesting rococo
altarpiece. To the outside, a Roman arch houses
the access door with a façade finished by an
exposed brick belfry. The square where it is
located is a vantage point for visitors, looking out
over the surrounding majestic Axarquía
landscape.
CORUMBELA (Sayalonga)
Corumbela is a small district belonging to
Sayalonga. It is a small village perched atop a
hill of impeccably whitewashed houses which,
on the roofs and porches, sport many beautiful
colourful potted plants. The sloping streets
become ever narrower, ending in a small square
housing the church of San Pedro.
Arabic arches in the Church of Our Lady of
Conception
the area, was converted into a Christian church
bell tower. The building’s recent refurbishment
has brought out its true splendour, crowning the
most westerly area of the village as if it were a
sentry guard, always watching and protecting
the village below.
DAIMALOS (Arenas)
Daimalos is a district of neighbouring Arenas
village, only 2.5 km away. The characteristic
centre comprises single storey houses in
sloping streets starting in the church square.
The 16th-century Mudéjar-style church was built
over the foundations of a former mosque and is
extremely modest in both size and design. It is
entered from the end, although it has a second
auxiliary access door on the left side preceded
by a row of balconies or viewpoint overlooking
nearby villages. The inside of the church has a
single nave covered with a coffered ceiling. At
the end, to the right of the main door, is the
beautiful and harmonious square-plan 14thcentury minaret which, as with all examples in
The centre is home to the most important and
outstanding building in the village, Nuestra
Señora de la Concepción (Our Lady of
Conception) church, built over the remains
of a former mosque, faithfully accompanied by
its minaret tower – typical of most Axarquía
villages.
The minaret dates from the 13th century and
is one of the oldest in the area. It is made from
brick and stone, although today it is
.
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36
The Mudéjar Route
The Mudéjar Route
Roman street in Canillas de Albaida
Nuestra Señora de la Expectación (Our
Lady of Expectation) parish church,
consecrated in 1505, sits over the
foundations of a former mosque which is
now the village’s main square. This was one
of the few churches to escape the burning
suffered by many during the Moorish
rebellion, probably because the Moor
Hernando Gaitán, one of the uprising’s
ringleaders, was a native of the village.
However, the building was renovated in the
16th century and rebuilt in the 18th. It has a
square plan with three naves separated by
segmental arches sitting on pillars, covered
by a Mudéjar frame. At the foot of the
church are the rococo style choir loft and
the sturdy square-plan, double-section
tower.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Canillas de Albaida’s origins are similar to
most of Axarquía’s villages: a Berber origin
Moorish farmstead settled in the area in the
13th century and belonging to Bentomiz
district. The place name Albaida translates
as white and seems to refer, according to
the chronicles surviving today, to the
abundance of white flowers in the area. The
rough lands, alongside the Moorish layout of
the centre, make for narrow sloping streets,
with the sensible popular architecture taking
advantage of these pronounced split levels
in buildings, coming up with original building
solutions visitors may admire on their stroll.
As is usual in Axarquía lands, the whiteness
of the houses is only interrupted by the
explosions of colour from the many hanging
baskets on the façades.
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CONVENTION BUREAU
completely whitewashed, with a square plan
and divided into four sections. In the second
section there are four small blind lancet
arches that are undoubtedly Moorish and
there are similarities with Tlemcen and
Tunisian minarets thanks to the decoration
and harmonious proportions. This is the
reason why it is said to be based on Merini
styles. The last section was added later by
Christians and is crowned with two bells. It is
topped with a hip roof.
Next to the church is another trace from the
Moorish presence in the area – a small
fountain dating from the 13th century.
ARENAS
Arenas
Arenas is an Axarquía village barely ten
kilometres from Vélez. It was originally called
Arenas del Rey, in honour of Ferdinand the
Catholic, history telling us that the monarch
spent the night here in the siege and conquest
of Vélez.
However, the most outstanding building is
Santa Catalina church. This Mudéjar-style
16th-century construction was built over the
remains of an early mosque and has a bell
tower – a former Mudéjar minaret – that is
said to have been higher and somewhat
different in design in the past but, after being
seriously damaged by a fire in 1926, was
.
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The Mudéjar Route
Bentomiz fortress
The Mudéjar Route
The town’s Moorish layout takes advantage of
the uneven streets in the buildings, which are
nearly all two storey. Until recently, these
houses had a courtyard and farmyard for
livestock with rather high roofs. In Bola Street
is Casa Pincho – a typical example of this
popular architecture.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Other major remains belong to the
Phoenician settlement. The Phoenician tombs at
Trayamar in Algarrobo certify the importance of the town and maritime commerce at the time. There are
also some remains from the Roman era such as the cities of Detunda, now Maro, or the trading post of
Clavicum, next to the Torrox coast lighthouse, where garum preparation, fish preservation and salting
techniques were known as well as ceramic production.
The most important legacy is, undoubtedly, Moorish and later Christian reuse flooding Axarquía and
making it a special place. The area experienced economic bonanza under Muslim rule – farming of wheat,
vine, olive and almond cultivation, livestock grazing in pastures, hunting in the forests (with their
abundance of deer, wild boar and goat) were rounded off with production and even export of wines and
Groups of houses were generally set around a
small castle and mosque, making up the different
farmsteads which, in turn, territorially depended
on a more important city fortress – the Taha or
district.
The Christian conquest of the land ended in 1487
when Abdul-Kassim Venegas surrendered and
handed the city of Vélez-Málaga to the Knight
Commander of León, who accepted in the name
of the Catholic Monarchs. After being
incorporated into the Crown of Castile and the
end of the Granada war, a major Christian
repopulation to compensate for the losses
caused by the war and expulsion of the Moors
took place.
The presence of Christian settlers transformed
many Axarquía towns. Churches were built, some
new plan and others making use of former
mosques. Houses were also tailored for new
needs, although in most areas the original
typically Moorish town planning of narrow, zigzag
streets may be clearly seen. Such is the case
that, today, access to the old quarter in many of
these villages by car is impossible due to the
narrowness of the streets.
Comares
changes to economic life, meant a building boom
in repairing burnt parishes from the Moorish
rebellion; this gave rise to a large number of new
Baroque churches matching reigning tastes.
Convent and monastery foundation increased
causing great planning changes in these
municipalities.
.
.
The disappearance of the Moors, as well as
shrinking the population and causing logical
The 18th century already bore witness to rather
important pre-industrial activity in the region, as
seen in the setting-up of paper mills on the River
Miel in Nerja and the card factory in
Macharaviaya. The 19th century began and
ended in crises – starting with the Spanish War of
Independence, as history has called the HispanoFrench struggle from 1808 to 1814 (the French
army occupied the province of Málaga from 1810
to 1812), and ending with the devastating
phylloxera plague wiping out a large part of the
vines and this major economic sector in the area.
40
The Civilisations Route
4. HE CIVILISATIONS
ROUTE
CONVENTION BUREAU
t
The fertile
Axarquía lands,
alongside
the
natural resources
from the sea, have
seen
different
settlements
and
cultures people this
region from time
immemorial – as seen
in the archaeological
remains. A good example
of this is the Argarian
Megalithic monument in
Frigiliana and the remains
found in the Cave of Nerja
which, as well as its great
geological interest, is evidence of
man’s presence from the late
Palaeolithic era to the first Bronze Age.
oil, as proven by the varying presses and tanks
found. Mulberry tree cultivation, insect breeding
and silk cloth spinning, dyeing and weaving were
the pillars of economic and farming growth in the
villages. This prosperity, however, is not seen in
the construction of great buildings, except for the
mosques and fortresses. Houses had a ground
floor with the bedroom and a kitchen with access
to the farmyard or courtyard (usually enclosed by
a dwarf wall) and an upper floor where harvests
and food were kept.
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FRIGILIANA
Frigiliana to Macharaviaya, from Phoenician to
Renaissance man – it may seem presumptuous
to say that in Málaga we can travel through time
to see and enjoy the history and legacy left
behind, but without wanting to appear so, or even
if it is true, we invite visitors on this route around
our area uniting has been said with something
our guests know is freely available: sunshine and
beautiful beaches. We shall begin our route along
the eastern coast from Frigiliana, heading a mere
kilometre inland to enjoy what those who came
before us did, when they first arrived in these
lands in bygone ages.
The route through Frigiliana’s Moorish
neighbourhood is marked by twelve ceramic
mosaics made in 1982 by the famous Málagabased potter Amparo Ruiz de Luna, using
traditional Moorish ceramic techniques where
white, black, brown and green colours
dominate. They depict village history as well as
guiding us along our visit to the main
monuments.
Plaza de San Francisco (San Francisco
Plaza)
After visiting Frigiliana, where our route starts,
head on the MA-105 local road towards Nerja
and, after a stop here, go on the N-340 to Maro to
see the famous Caves. Once again on the N-340
heading to Málaga, we get to Torrox-Costa. To
visit the Trayamar Phoenician tombs take the A6203 linking Algarrobo-Costa with Algarrobo
town. Once again on the N-340, turn off on the
MA-106 at Rincón de la Victoria to see
Macharaviaya. Once again on the same road, we
get to Rincón de la Victoria. This route ends
following the same N-340 heading towards
Málaga where, just before reaching the capital,
the MA-179 takes us to Totalán.
Just six kilometres from Nerja, in the foothills of
the Sierra Almijara, Frigiliana is located in a
captivating setting. The old town is a pleasure to
the senses and it is not for nothing that it has
been a worthy winner of several prizes, such as
most beautiful village in Andalusia.
We recommend starting the route in the socalled Plaza del Ingenio, an enormous building
started in 1508 as a home for the Manrique de
Lara family, undergoing subsequent alterations
and extensions until being finalised in 1752,
making it one of the most important molasses
factories. It was Frigiliana’s economy for more
than 400 years as, for centuries, the Spanish
obliged Cubans to buy large amounts of honey
to make their rum, until 1898 when Spanish rule
came to end on the island and the industry fell
into decline. The building is, today, largely
deteriorated although remains of the
ornamental painting from years before can still
be seen on part of the façade. The canal where
the powerful water stream fell on the hydraulic
wheel providing the factory with energy may
also be seen.
If we look further up to the left of Ingenio, there
are three buildings on the hill whose roofs
house ancient stone canals. It is known that the
Moors built a magnificent aqueduct system
Cobblestone street in Frigiliana
between the 8th and 10th centuries and that
Christians diverted one of these canals towards
Ingenio providing it with water and energy.
If we continue on our route up Real Street, we
come across a striking building whose façade
houses a row of Roman arches painted red;
these are remains from the Real Posito built in
1630 by the fifth generation of the Manrique de
Lara family to store excess grain and provide for
bad harvest years.
In the same street, with its beautiful paving laid
between 1961 and 1984, is the Montellano
family coat-of-arms which, for many years, was
on El Ingenio’s façade. The Saldueña and
Motellano families inherited Frigiliana from
Manrique Lara and sold it on to the Fernán
Núñez family in 1779. They then sold on to the
De La Torre family in 1931 for one hundred and
thirty-eight thousand pesetas.
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42
RECOMMENDED ITINERARY:
CONVENTION BUREAU
Vélez Fortress
Axarquía today tries to balance its two largest
riches – tourism and agriculture – with initiatives
protecting the environment and preserving local
heritage. This blessed land is full of special
unique expressions from around the province, as
could be no other way – the tastes and smells,
folklore and culture, landscape, historical legacy
and local kindness are unquestionable.
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On our stroll is a small chapel commemorating
the place occupied by Santa Ana church – the
only Christian church during the years of Muslim
rule and the original arch from the Christian
rampart area.
Typical Frigiliana patio
At the eighth mosaic, looking to the right, a large
cylindrical stone can be seen in the middle of the
hill – a Megalithic Argarian menhir over 3,500
years old. The path up to the old castle can be
seen from this point, of which only a few stones
remain as they were used in the construction of
the Ingenio mill.
After the ninth and tenth mosaics making
reference to the ferocious defence by Muslim
men and women against Christian forces, we
turn to the left, towards Zacatín Street which
means Market in Arabic. Many products such as
oil, meat, jewels, spices, fruit, wines, raisins,
dates and, of course, famed quality silk product
could be bought here. This paved street with
steps easing the slope is presently the main
stage for Holy Week processions.
The last two mosaics refer to the bloody Frigiliana
battle leading to definitive Christian victory.
Inquistador Alley, the narrowest street in the
village, starts here where all heresy trials were
held. Ánimas Alley continues down and was the
original Muslim cemetery.
Typical cobblestone street in Frigiliana
Our return stroll continues on Chorruelo Street
housing two fountains, the first – believed to have
been built by the Romans and subsequently
extended by Muslims, although there is no
trustworthy source for this fact – is known as ‘The
Roman Fountain’. The second – originally an
Arab piece, seen in the filigree flowers on either
side – is known as ‘The Old Fountain’. It is
known to have been restored in the 17th century
by the fifth Manrique Lara who added, as well as
design changes, his coat-of-arms.
Finally we get to 17th-century San Antonio
parish church built over the foundations of a
former mosque that was used from the 8th to the
15th centuries; remains from the base structure of
the main façade and the bell tower – a former
Moorish minaret – may still be observed.
Construction began in 1676 under the patronage
of the Manrique Lara family and was remodelled in
the following century leading to the eclectic style,
Wall detailing in Frigiliana
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44
Frigiliana
Heading into the, of course, narrow, sloping
whitewashed housed Amargura and Alta
Streets, like all the village streets, we notice a
curious detail of the Hand of Fatima (a hand with
a pearl) hanging from the doors – a Muslim good
luck charm. There are several mosaics making
reference to some quarrels and uprisings
involving non-convert Muslims.
CONVENTION BUREAU
On Hernando el Darra Street are two of the
aforementioned ceramics. The first mosaic
shows the map of Axarquía in the middle of the
16th century and, like all those coming after,
contains a textual quote from ancient
documents referring to the area. The second
depicts the village’s inhabitants living a quiet
life, working on the land and looking after their
animals. It must be borne in mind that in
Frigiliana (known as the village of three
cultures) the Muslim, Jewish and Christian
communities lived in perfect harmony. But with
the arrival of the Catholic Monarchs, Jews and
Muslims were forced to be christened and
converted under threat of expulsion. The term
Convertino for Jews and Morisco for Muslims
who were christened started here, although for
many years they continued to follow their
customs and traditions. Under the later reigns of
Carlos I and Felipe II these laws were more
oppressive with more sever penalties.
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In Real Street, facing the Town Hall, is one of the
oldest buildings in Frigiliana and known as El
Torreón. Originally, it was one of the quarters in
the Moorish billets which, after the Christian
conquest, was used to store grain. Large clay
amphorae fixed to the floor and dating to the
Moorish era may be seen here.
Church Plaza
At the end of the historic quarter is the Ecce
Homo chapel, also known as Cristo de la Caña
de Azúcar (Christ of the Sugar Cane). Built in
the 18th century, it is a simple design with a
rectangular plan with a nave preceded by a
small atrium accessed by a Roman arch. It is
rarely opened.
Another religious building is San Sebastián
chapel, located near the cemetery in the new
part of the village.
Lastly, the Palacio del Apero (equipment store)
dates from the 17th century and is located in the
new part of Frigiliana. Originally the Manrique de
Lara family stables, it has now been recovered
as a centre for culture and temporary
exhibitions. It has a rectangular plan and
outbuildings spread around the central
courtyard.
Nerja
NERJA
Nerja is the most eastern Málaga region and,
probably, the most important tourist centre on this
coast.
Located in the foothills of the Sierra Almijara and
on the coast, it has marvellous beaches but also
cliffs and difficult-to-access coves, making it an
extraodinarily beautiful place. All this, without
losing that mellow Andalusian village air with
white houses and balcony plants, at least in the
old town. The streets run down to a large circle
surrounded by tall palm trees looking out almost
challenging the sea: the famous Balcony of
Europe built over the remains of an ancient castle
razed in 1812 during the Napoleonic war. Nerja
combines modernity – thanks to tourism – with
deep-rooted traditions.
It is known that Nerja, once Naricha, Narija or
Narissa, meaning abundant spring, was an
important Moorish farmstead famous for its
production and trade in silk which was well-known
and exported to Damascus itself. Researchers
Balcony of Europe. Nerja
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46
Iglesia de San Antonio (St. Anthony's Church)
In the side aisles are chapels and altars housing
the Christ and Virgin figures used in Holy Week
the village holds in great devotion. The
magnificent 17th-century Sorrowful Virgin
painting belonging to the Luis Morales School is
a highlight. The church also has a lantern dome
over the transept and choir area. The exterior is
decoratively sober. The main door, after the
Roman arch, is the work of Bartolomé Cruz, a
local of Frigiliana and famed 19th-century
craftsman. The tall wooden three-section bell
tower stands out, where the upper two parts
have double, elongated horseshoe arches to the
four sides. As stated earlier, this was a former
minaret which, after reconstruction, was
heightened and made into a Christian bell tower.
CONVENTION BUREAU
mixing Mudéjar, Baroque and even neoRenaissance elements. There are three naves
covered by a restored wooden frame and
separated by pillars supporting a Roman arched
gallery. In the recent restoration of the coffered
ceiling, frescoes decorating the church’s interior
were discovered under layers of whitewash on the
arched gallery. At present, only one of the arch
paintings has been recovered with funds hoping to
be collected for a complete restoration.
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The most important religious building is El
Salvador church dating from the last third of the
17th century. An eclectic building combining
mainly Baroque and Mudéjar elements, it has
three naves with the main aisle covered by a
wooden coffered ceiling, the side aisles by
quadrant vaults, and the transept by a cupola.
The two Gospel nave chapels are decorated with
mural paintings from the 18th-century Granada
School. There is also a mural painting of the
Annunciation by Francisco Hernández, a famous
Vélez-born contemporary painter. The main
façade is very sombre in both design and
decoration. To the left of the door is the three
section bell tower, the first two with a rectangular
plan crowned by an upper octagonal bell section.
MARO
Maro Cliffs
A beautiful small town in the Nerja municipality,
the area has been inhabited from pre-historic
times with Roman occupation being evidenced –
the former Detunda being present-day Maro
centre. Maro is home to Nerja’s main charms,
famous for the cliffs and difficult-to-access coves
hidden amongst the farms and greenhouses. The
famous Nerja cave is also located here.
In the town centre, the 17th century Nuestra
Señora de las Maravillas (Our Lady of
Miracles) parish church stands out, being a
small simple building. Accessed at the back
through a door under a lancet archway, to the
inside it has a restored Mudéjar coffered ceiling
covering the single nave. Next to the bottom of
the church to the right hand side is a low Moorish
tower toped by a curious belfry.
Examples of interesting civil constructions are the
ruins of several mills demonstrating the sugar
industry’s importance to the area, as well as the
Águila aqueduct that can be seen from the N340. Designed in the mid-19th century by
Francisco Cantarero to supply San Joaquín sugar
refinery with water, it has thirty-seven Roman
arches spread across four-storey exposed brick
spans.
Another curious spot in the Miel River mouth on
Maro cliffs are the ruins of a paper factory
working in the first half of the 19th century
popularly known are the Molino de Papel (Paper
Mill).
NERJA CAVE
Nerja Cave is just a few kilometres from Nerja, at
the foot of the Sierra Almijara. Discovered in
1959, it wasn’t declared a Historical Artistic
Monument until 1961 and later, in 1985, a Cultural
Heritage Site. The monument’s importance is not
only reflected in it being the most visited Spanish
monument alongside the Alhambra, but by being
an essential reference point for all studies relating
to prehistoric human activity in Western Europe
and the diversity and importance of the cave
deposits. Speleothems are formations basically
made up of calcium carbonate, the type
depending on several factors such as gravity and
Nerja Cave
.
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48
Historical Maro Watchtower
Another religious building is the Baroque patron
saint Nuestra Señora de las Angustias (Our
Lady of Anguish) chapel dating from 1720. It
houses a single barrel vaulted nave with the
chancel covered by a semi-spherical vault which,
as in El Salvador church, is decorated with 18th
century Granada School paintings following
prevailing tastes of the era. To the outside, the
church is flanked by a porch built over four
octagonal pillars.
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place this farmstead in the place known as Alto
Castle of which there are hardly any remains.
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Nerja Cave
As we all know, prehistory is the period running
from man’s beginnings to the appearance of
writing. Sporadic human use of Nerja Cave
began in the upper Palaeolithic era, more
specifically the Gravettian era (25,000 – 21,000
years ago), when subsistence was based on
hunting and harvest. In the following Solutrean
period (21,000 – 16,000 years ago), the first signs
of cave art appeared, based on a combination of
abstract symbols and animal figures. prehistoric
man made these drawings with mineral and
organic colourings. There is only a small set of
cave art from the Magdalenian period (12,000 –
10,800 years ago) in the upper galleries – a
curious row of seals. As in most of Western
Europe, cave art disappeared at the end of the
Palaeolithic.
The Neolithic period (7,500 – 4,500 years ago)
saw the slow adaptation to agriculture and
farming as a subsistence economy. These
changes meant that there was a population
increase and more complex social structures, as
well as a more stable relationship with the land
and the adoption of new ideologies with regards
to land fertility and death. Materials such as
ceramics, polished tools and ornamental objects
such as rings, bracelets, pendants, etc.
appeared, made from bone and shell. The living
areas in Nerja Cave were the outer-most areas,
with evidence of their use for sheltering herds,
storing agricultural produce, making ceramics
and, of course, almost systematic use as a burial
ground, although the inner-most rooms in the
lower galleries were generally used for the latter.
Torrox
In the Copper (4,550 – 3,800 years ago) and
Bronze (3,800 – 3,200 years ago) Ages there are
three types of art known as cazoletas (circular
erosions), schematic paintings and schematic
carvings.
All this shapes the Nerja Cave today, not only as
one of the main tourist attractions in Axarquía and
one of its economic motors, but also as one of the
great study and research centres for different
disciplines (geology, biology and prehistory)
expanding and spreading knowledge.
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Nerja Cave
Nerja Cave is divided into three parts or galleries:
the lower or tourist galleries, the upper galleries
and the new galleries. The lower galleries are
divided into different rooms. The first is the
Entrance Room and was used as a living quarter
in prehistoric times; next is the Nativity Room with
a formation that looks like a Nativity scene, giving
its name to the room, and where visitors can also
see the remains of a Neanderthal woman buried
8,000 years ago and affectionately known as
Paquita; after this comes the Elephant Tusk
Room, so-called after the formation that looks like
the tusk of this huge animal, leading down to the
so-called Ballet or Cascade Room which was
used in recent prehistory for funerals and is now
the setting for the famous music and dance
contests held in the cave. Moving on, the Ghost
Room has impressive stalagmites and other
beautiful formations known as curtains or
flowstones and, lastly, the Cataclysm Room with
broken, fallen formations due to seismic
movements. There are a further two rooms
leading off from the Elephant Tusk Room – the
Mine Room and the Torca Sinkhole Room serving
as exits outdoors. The upper galleries with cave
paintings and the new galleries may only be
visited on approval via two speleo-tourism routes.
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water flow and temperature. There is a large
spectacularly beautiful variety of deposits is the
Nerja Cave (stalactites, stalagmites, columns,
curtains, flowstones, helictite, rimstone, straw,
moonmilk, cave pearls, cone and claws).
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Its name comes from the Arabic Turrux meaning
tower, although its origins date from before the
Mohammedan occupation, as seen in Roman
remains at the Torrox lighthouse – a place wellworth a visit for its historical importance and
recovered relics. This site is located at the foot of
the lighthouse, on the coast, with researchers
having no doubt in stating its relation to so-called
Mansio Clavicum, quoted in the Antonine
Itinerary.
The Torrox lighthouse villa has been described as
one of the few examples of villa a mare or
maritime villa found in Spain. It was a coastal
trading post with an important infrastructure of a
residential area, thermal baths, trading post,
ceramic ovens and jetty. There was also a
cemetery consecrated around the 1st century
A.D., being abandoned at the beginning of the
4th. The Romans developed fish preserving and
the famous garum here, exporting this highly
appreciated produce abroad.
.
At the coast and inland, this area also
experienced large Moorish occupation. It has
been documented that, after disembarking in
Almuñecar in 755, Abd-ar-Rahman Ben Muawiya
arrived in Torrox and, once there, gathered a
large army and headed to Archidona; he finally
became the first independent Emir and caliph of
Córdoba.
Chronicles from the end of the 9th century
recount how the historically famous Mozarab
Málaga coastline is dotted with ancient
watchtowers which, today, still remind us of the
work the faithful sentries undertook in the past.
Torrox-Costa has seven kilometres of beaches
where the Huit (Güi) and Calaceite towers are
still preserved. In the past, the construction of
these towers responded to the need for a series
of watch posts to warn of the arrival of enemy
boats and enable defences to be set up. This
watch system, already used in Nasrid times, was
improved and expanded in the Christian period.
The Torrox towers are from the Christian era and
respond to the same building model. They are
located at the edge of the coast on a headland,
one visible from the other, with a circular plan and
truncated cone main body on a solid base.
Access was via a retractable ladder to the first
floor in case of siege. They have a terrace for
alarms, fire and smoke.
This area, combining tourism with agriculture and
fishing, offers up curious exceptionally beautiful
sites. Walking along the beaches, dotted with
traditional Málaga jábega fishing smacks in the
dry docks waiting for the dawn to go out to sea
commanded by their owners is a true pleasure.
Ermita de San Roque (San Roque
Hermitage)
Although we merely suggest a visit to TorroxCosta, we have noted a few ideas for those
wanting to visit Torrox village. We recommend
visiting Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación
parish church, built over the foundations of a
mosque. Consecrated for the first time in 1505, it
was seriously damaged in the 1569 Moorish
rebellion. Markedly rebuilt in 1632 based on plans
by the Bishopric master builder Pedro Díez de
Another interesting religious building is 16thcentury Mudéjar-style Nuestra Señora de las
Nieves convent and chapel. With a Latin cross
Palacios, it was demolished in the 1868
revolutionary period and rebuilt in 1889. The
Baroque, Latin cross plan, three nave structure
has a standout square-plan bell tower to the
outside, split into three sections.
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52
The main archaeological pieces found at the site
such as mosaics, sculptures, jugs, pots, coins,
etc. are presently in the Regional Archaeological
Museum in Málaga and the Archaeological
Museum in Barcelona.
uprising took place in the attack and seizure of
Torrox Castle, with only relics of some towers left
since the invading Napoleonic troops (18121814), after using the Moorish castle as a small
fort, burnt it to the ground in retreat.
Arabic tower
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San Roque (St. Roch) chapel was rebuilt in neoMudéjar style over the original 16th century
building. It has a single nave with a chancel
covered by a hemispherical dome and an apse,
choir and belfry crowing the front. It is not used at
present.
The most outstanding civil building is the Palacio
de la Aduana or Casa de la Moneda (Customs
Building) which dates to the 18th century and is
presently a private home.
Algarrobo
ALGARROBO
Macharaviaya
At the beginning of the 8th century B.C., the
Phoenicians set up one of the oldest town
centres on the Iberian Peninsula in the area and
one of the most important in the entire
Mediterranean. It is known that the Phoenician
town was constructed on a small peninsula
controlling entry to a small bay to the east of the
river. There is evidence of metal workshops from
the first stage of inhabitation, with some
buildings based around a main street built in the
following phase. The inhabitants of the houses
are thought to have possessed high social
standing in the East due to the quality and size
of the constructions.
The necropolis was made up of five hypogeum
or underground tombs excavated in the rock and
serving as family vaults. Consisting of large
rectangular-plan chambers and built with ashlar
blocks and a marvellous smooth tile paving, they
are the first example of regular bonding
architecture in Andalusia. They are covered by
gabled wooden roofs with the ramp-shaped
access corridors aiding the decent of the bodies,
ashes, amphorae, furnishing adornments and
jewels accompanying the dead. At present, the
objects found at the necropolis are on display in
the Regional Archaeological Museum in Málaga.
However, the site’s deterioration is terrible with
only one tomb being preserved.
During the mediaeval period Algorrobo was a
farmstead belonging to Bentomiz district and,
although a walled enclosure, did not house a
castle. The town’s layout of narrow, sloping
streets indicates the Moorish past.
The present church dedicated to Santa Ana was
built in the 17th century on top of the foundations
to a former mosque. It has a Latin cross plan
with three naves separated by a row of Roman
arches resting on pillars; the coffered ceiling
being recently restored. It houses two interesting
rococo chapels and representations of the
Immaculate Conception and Jesus of Nazareth,
belonging to the 18th century Granada School
and the work of Francisco de Palma. At the
parish house there is also a magnificent 17thcentury polychrome wood carving of the Virgin
attributed to Pedro de Mena. Next to the church
rises the brilliantly straight bell tower.The town
comes to an end at the top of a hill, known as
Ejido, where not only is there an esplanade with
fabulous views out over Axarquía coast but also
Two coastal watchtowers remain, known as the
Ladeada (leaning) or Portichuelo or Sea Tower
from Islamic times and the Nueva (New) Tower
– a small 16th-century fort also known as the
right-hand tower, in contrast to its neighbour.
Ringer in a Macharaviaya house
the present San Sebastián chapel. This is a
copy of the original 17th-century chapel that had
to be demolished. Built in 1975 over the original
foundations, it has a single Latin cross nave with
a beautiful frame.
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54
This small Málaga town covering less than ten
square kilometres is located on the Axarquía
coast. There is evidence of human occupation in
prehistoric times and during the Copper and
Bronze Ages, although this settlement was not
permanent and was later abandoned.
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plan, side naves and chapel covered by a
Mudéjar frame, it also houses a chancel, choir
and belfry. The convent attached to the chapel
has two floors, a cloister and an interior
courtyard, and was used as a warehouse and
barracks. The Consistory intends to restore the
building for public use.
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Like many other Axarquía towns,
Macharaviaya’s origins are as a Moorish
farmstead. Founded as a town in 1572 under
the rule of Machar Ibn Yahha (farmhouse of
the son of Yahha), it saw its greatest days from
the last quarter of the 18th century when the
Gálvez, one of the local families, held high
posts in the enlightened reformist government
under King Carlos III (1759-1788).
Parroquia de Santa Ana de Algarrobo (Santa
Ana de Algarrobo Parish)
The Gálvez became patrons of the different
projects meant to improve town life (known to
some as little Madrid), such as repairing the
main streets and connecting roads to Málaga
and other nearby towns, paving the streets,
and building a public laundry. The piping of
drinking water also began with the family. The
Gálvez’ major projects, however, were
undoubtedly the foundation of a school, set up
under royal patronage in 1783, and the
building of the Royal Card Factory in 1776.
This factory monopolised the American
market, bringing major economic development
to the area and, in part, breaking the town’s
dependence on farming. The historically,
rather than architecturally, interesting building
is in Real de Málaga Street and is, today, used
for housing.
III; it is finished with a belfry. The thrity-six by
nine metre Latin cross plan is covered by a
barrel vault with a hemispherical dome to the
transept finished with a lantern resting on
scallops. The alabaster altars have lost their
original paintings and sculptures. At the end of
the central nave are two side chapels.
The cemetery is next to the church providing
access to the crypt, which is covered by a
quadrant vault and a cross vault housing the
Gálvez sepulchre. The mausoleum housing
the remains of José de Gálvez – inspector of
New Spain, minister for the Indies and State
advisor to King Carlos III – is an impressive
funereal monument made from expensive
materials such as marble and alabaster with
the family seal and a bust of José crowning the
piece.
LA PEDANÍA DE BENAQUE
Just a mere three kilometres separate
Macharaviaya from the small district of
Benaque, whose most illustrious native is the
poet Salvador Rueda. His home has been
made into a museum and we recommend a
visit to all literary fans and lovers.
Another unmissable stop is Nuestra Señora
del Rosario or Encarnación church. The
16th-century Mudéjar building is ornamentally
very simple and was built over the foundations
of a former mosque. The roof collapsed in
1930, with the church undergoing a
remodelling that led to the discovery of old
tetramorph paintings and a Saint Christopher.
There is a single floor covered by a coffered
ceiling with the primitive Morrish minaret
outside converted into a Christian bell tower.
Macharaviaya Monolith
San Jacinto (St. Hyacinth) parish church
was rebuilt over the foundation of the original
16th-century church under the patronage of
this illustrious family – heightening their
prestige even further – being finished in 1785.
It is an overlarge church with regards to the
town’s size, and follows a sober Baroque style
that avoids over-decoration. The main brick
and stone entry is framed by two Corithian
columns resting on small pillars holding a split
pediment bearing the coat-of-arms of Carlos
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Rincón de la Victoria is very near Málaga city. Its
excellent transport links, alongside the
magnificent climate and being situated on the
coast, have made it a major residential area, with
lots of Málaga natives having set up home here.
The municipality includes other centres such as
Benagalbón, Cala del Moral, Torre de
Benagalbón and other small districts such as
Millares or Aguirre.
Humans have lived in the area from very early
times. Paintings of deer, goats, horses and fish
associated with red points and black lines have
been uncovered in Higuerón Cave – better
known as Tesoro or Treasure Cave – and in
Victoria Cave, as well as other symbolic figures
from the late Palaeolithic period at Higuerón.
These caves were also used in the Neolithic and
Chalcolithic periods, with settlements living from
farming and fishing. Victoria Cave has just been
reclaimed after years abandonment, with the
setting up of the 50,000 square metre Parque
Arqueológico Rincón Mediterráneo (Rincón
Mediterranean
Archaeological
Park)
reconstructing the homo neanderthalensis
environment.
Rincón de la Victoria
This difficult-to-access and somewhat dangerous
cave will not be open to tourists, meaning the
paintings have been reproduced on the outside
of the cave to be seen by all. Explanation panels
about Neolithic art, customs, flora and fauna
have also been installed.
Archaeological work carried out in the area has
shown the presence of a 6th-century B.C. PunicPhoenician settlement in Loma de Benagalbón.
The existence of an imperial era borough has
also been confirmed with a residential area
housing geometric square mosaics and a small
bathhouse, as well as several bowls and
amphorae confirming the existence of salt fish
and garum production.
During the caliphate, Bezmiliana was a major
enclave, albeit its greatest splendour coming in
the 12th century. The chronicler Al-Idrisis
narrates that the city had more than a thousand
inhabitants, mosques, ovens, tunny fishing and
fisheries, a busy port and a customs post
controlling the entry of products from other
towns.
The castle was built on a hill located in the
highest part outside the fortress. It is known that
there was a tribute tower and the layout was
calculated with four square towers set amongst
the different wall sections with two gates – one to
the east and another, to the south. The stone
walls were made from small and irregular
limestone. Unfortunately, there are hardly any
remains nowadays from the wall sections in the
area known as the Castellón, on the hill to
Benagalbón.
standing tall to attention like the faithful old
sentries they were, serving the population.
During the Christian reconquest, the town was
almost cleared due to the plague epidemic.
Repopulation was attempted and only bore fruit
in the 18th century with the need build the Casa
Fuerte de Bezmiliana (Fortified House) in
1766 to defend the coast from the powerful
English fleet.
In Rincón centre is the 1892 Nuestra Señora del
Carmen church, dedicated to the patron saint
and a simple structure with three naves and a
bell tower next to the Gospel nave. The reason
for the area not having a church until such a late
date is that, until the beginning of the 20th
century, Benagalbón was the municipal capital.
A rectangular plan surrounded by an important
stone wall and two towers at the corners, it is
completed by a moat which is now covered.
Today, the building has been restored and is a
municipal Exhibition Centre.
Coastal security was finished, however, by the
Cantal and Benagalbón beacon towers
warning of enemy incursions and which remain
This town has a small church dedicated to the
Virgen de la Candelaria (Our Lady of
Candlemas), a former mosque consecrated in
1505, some remains of which are conserved in
the original walls. To the inside, the mural
paintings by Vélez native Francisco Hernández
stand out: the Ascension, in the central section,
and the Nativity and Presentation of Jesus in the
Temple to the sides.
Bezmiliana Fortified House
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Cala del Moral Cliffs
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hip roof and the entry is framed by a cornice and
houses a Roman arch.
Totalán municipality borders with Málaga city,
spreading out over the river basin it takes its
name from. This small pretty town centre is
hidden in the centre of the valley, with hillocks
covered in olive groves and almond trees.
There is very little information allowing us to
uncover Totalán history from eras prior to the
conquest by Christian troops. Documents only
mention the presence of a farmstead in the area
under Málaga jurisdiction.
Totalán has been home to famous characters
such as Manuel Vertedor, the famous bandit and
accomplice to the misdeeds of Bizco del Borge
(Cross-eyed Borge) who, in 1887, died at the
hands of the Civil Guard. However, older
townsfolk fondly remember the sounds of
Antonio Molina’s ballads drifting around Totalán
streets during his childhood, whose parents
were locals.
However, on Corona Hill, a mere six hundred
metres from the town centre, are the remains of
a passage dolmen known as ‘The Moor Tomb’.
The fifteen flat rocks without a cover and
measuring some three and half metres long by
one and half wide give us an idea of its
considerable size. Objects and human remains
belonging to ten different people have been
found, showing the area was inhabited far into
the past.
The construction of Nuestra Señora del
Rosario parish church dates from the 16th
century, as stated on the plaque on the main
façade, although it was renovated in the 17th.
Located in a small square at the entry to the
town, this is a simple modest building with two
naves separated by red marble Tuscan columns
supporting Roman arches and covered by a
Mudéjar frame.
Totalán
Fountain located in the Totalán municipality
The church also houses a small crypt behind the
Virgen del Rosario chapel dedicated to the
town’s patron. The whitewash tower attached to
the transept seems to be a former mosque
minaret with Mudéjar features such as thick
arches and vaults to the interior staircase. The
rectangular plan has two sections finished by a
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Watchtower
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Taking advantage of the opportunities offered by this fertile land and warm routes, human settlements
emerged which, over the centuries, have left behind important, sometimes forgotten, heritage that
everyone should discover and recover.
We are aware of prehistoric man’s presence and the foundation of Phoenician and Roman settlements but it is, without doubt, the Moorish legacy that became Axarquía’s most important identifying
mark. In this way, the remains of abundant castles and mediaeval fortresses in the area met the need
man has always had to protect his habitat and which, today, are silent witnesses to a glorious past.
After the Christian conquest and under the counterreformation spirit, church building proliferated either by reusing earlier Moorish buildings or constructing new shrines, greatly increasing the area’s
heritage.
Leaving Comares by the MA-169 road takes us to
a crossroads where we head towards Riogordo
on the MA-159 local road. Carry on down the A6118 to get to Colmenar and, come back along
the same road until, once again, we get to
Riogordo taking Periana direction heading for
Alfarnatejo and Alfarnate. We have to take a
diversion on the MA-157 crossroads and its MA155 extension towards Alfarnate – both are well
signposted. We take this road back getting, once
again, on the A-6118 and taking the A-335 junction which we follow for two hundred metres in the
Vélez-Málaga direction, taking the diversion on
the MA-128 local road leading us to Alcaucín.
From here, and before heading back to VélezMálaga, on the A-6101 we get to Viñuela, where
our route finishes.
COMARES
Comares
Tiles of the road to follow to Comares
Comares is also rightly known as ‘Axarquía
Balcony’, as it enjoys magnificent panoramic
views. Located in the centre of the area, six
hundred metres above sea level, it is a privileged
vantage point where you can see Sierra Tejeda
and Sierra Almijaras as well as the Axarquía
coast.
It is not only one of the district but also one of the
region’s most beautiful towns. The centre slides
along two headlands on the crest of a steep hill
where houses hang almost miraculously from the
edge. The network of narrow, zigzag, maze-like
Home in the town of Comares
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The Sierra and Sea Route
5. HE SIERRA AND
SEA ROUTE
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t
There is a
land of passage,
encounters and
skirmishes, stories
and
legends spreading out from
the mountainous area of the
Alhama, Tejeda
and Almijaras
Sierras to the
Málaga coast:
High Axarquía
and Vélez Valley.
Routes and roads
crossing
natural
straits through the
sierra emerged in the
coming-and-going: the
route from the Port of
Alazores in Alfarnate connecting Antequera plain which
was the Camino Real (Royal
Road) from Málaga to Granada and
the Zafarraya opening in Alcaucín
connecting with Alhama area.
The most invaluable heritage from this generous
land lies, however, in popular local knowledge
reminding us of the way of life already lost in large
cities.
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La Tahona
The inhabitants, known as Comareños, are
aware of the interest their town holds and invite
visitors to discover it, proposing an original way
around the streets. A route to discover the most
emblematic sites is suggested via footprints
made out of ceramic tiles combining the Moorish
white and blue motifs placed in the ground. There
are also ceramic panels explaining the town’s
history.
The original Comares settlement is not entirely
known. Some researchers point to the Roman
foundation of the town, based on the great
strategic enclave it occupies and the unearthing
of coins from the period. What is more certain is
that in the 8th century there was a Moorish
settlement. Some historians such as Lafuente
Alcántara even affirm the Alhambra Comares
Tower is so-called as master builders from
Comares worked there.
Tiles in the Comares municipality
The castle remains known as La Tahona
(probably due to a deformation of the Arabic term
Taha, meaning district) are located on a headland
on the town’s most easterly slope. There is only a
tower and some wall pieces remaining from the
original structure but the route followed by the
visitor to the top has recently been fitted with
spot-on recreations of Mudéjar settings providing
a walking and rest area with exquisite enticing
corners for rest and meditation.
The strategic location of La Tahona is due to its
natural defensive spot and outlook over a large
part of Axarquía. We know from Islamic
chroniclers that it was an important bastion in the
disturbances against the Cordovan kingdom in
the 9th and 10th centuries. The castle’s greatest
period of splendour was in the Nasrid era when
new fortification work was undertaken. It is known
that it had a large citadel completely surrounded
by thick walls. At present it houses the town
cemetery.
Comares had a mosque in the Nasrid period
responding to the population’s needs which, after
the forced Mudéjar conversion imposed in 1505,
became a church. However, it collapsed in 1539
when construction on the present church began,
concluding in 1547, with the bell tower built soon
after, between 1550 and 1552.
The Mudéjar-style Nuestra Señora de la
Encarnación follows master builder Juan
Rodríguez’s design, who had already done others
for the Málaga Bishopric. The interior space, with
its rectangular plan and square transept, is split
into three naves separated by a lancet arch
gallery. The coffered ceiling is the work of master
carpenter Pedro Díaz, whose work demonstrates
great artistic quality. The 1721 rococo-style
Sacrarium chapel is located in one of the side
naves and follows reigning tastes from the era. To
the outside, the building is sombre and simple
with the bell tower standing out, resulting rather
crude in comparison with the church’s exquisite
architectural and decorative quality.
Monument to the Verdiales
are, however, somewhat different to those from
the Montes de Málaga. Those from Comares
have a more melodic instrumental rhythm,
introducing some new elements such as the lute.
There is a square in front of the church, serving
as a row of balconies located on the town’s most
westerly promontory overlooking the former roads
connecting the region with inland areas. A
sculpture showing a man singing verdiales (a
local Málaga singing style) has recently been
installed in the square as, if one thing marks out
locals, it is a love for verdiales. Some researchers
do not doubt that the origins of this ancestral song
lie in snippets of old Moorish ballads which also
lay at the roots of Flamenco. Comares verdiales
The town also has a unique Hotel-Restaurant
called ‘Los Abuelos’ which, in eating areas,
houses a beautiful olive press and old Andalusian
bodega. Old fair posters, wine labels and farming
tools hang on the walls, creating a very
interesting individual cultural value.
There are remains of a mediaeval city with
origins in the 9th and 10th century on the nearby
hill known as Mazmullar Hill. It was violently
destroyed and rebuilt in the 12th century, with
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streets hide corners of rare, almost poetic, beauty
that locals take great pains to look after. There is
nothing to distract our sense of pleasure like a
stroll around Comares – a monument in itself.
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What was once an impregnable Axarquía bastion
is today an open, welcoming town seducing
visitors with its natural charms and privileged
setting that arouses curiosity to discover the
mystery locked away in surrounding towns and
areas.
.
Located in High Axarquía, its name comes from
the river running to the west which was called
Aguas Gordas (Swollen Waters) and is today
known as Cueva. Contrary to most county
towns, it experienced no Moorish occupation
and so its artistic heritage is Christian. In the
municipality, however, there are remains of
seasonal Neolithic settlements located in the
Tajo Gómer, as well as Roman relics. For
example, there is an example of Roman civic
architecture in the rural town of Auta (1st to 3rd
century A.D.) based on a central space leading
out to rooms used for living quarters as well as
work areas. There was a floor with an inverted
‘T’ shaped mosaic showing the considerable
wealth of the inhabitants.
Nuestra Señora de Gracia (Our Lady of
Grace)
As has already been mentioned, the origins of
the present town are Christian. During the siege
and conquest of Vélez, the Catholic Monarchs
built a military camp leading to the birth of
Riogordo.
The most outstanding religious building in
Riogordo is Nuestra Señora de Gracia (Our
Lady of Grace) parish church, built in the late
15th and early 16th century. It has been
refurbished and restored many times, which is
why only the central nave and tower come from
the original building. The flat altar end basilic plan
is made up of three naves separated by Roman
arches. The main nave is covered by a coffered
ceiling, with the side naves having hemispherical
domes covering hanging style frames. The 18th
century exquisite Virgen de los Dolores (Our Lady
of Pain) Baroque chapel is housed one of the side
naves.
In Iglesia Street is a former 17th-century oil mill
housing the Municipal Ethnography Museum
with exhibits of varied pieces from Riogordo’s
historical, industrial and economic heritage,
organised around three main themes: oil, wine
and bread.
There are very interesting pieces related to oil
production such as an old oil press known as veleta,
which conserves its stone and large conical
grindstone that would mill olives falling from the
wooden chute. There are also several press types,
one of which – known as capilla – dates from the
17th century and the stone tower reaching the mill’s
Oil Mill
roof. With files hanging from the walls providing
historical documentation on the area’s oil from 1575
to 1951, there is also a collection of watercolours,
lithographic stones, tinplate containers and
lithographs showing oil containers.
As for wine production, there is a winepress with a
screw press and large earthenware jug. Old Málaga
wine labels are also on display and lithographs that
adorned Málaga raisin boxes from 1850 to 1950.
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RIOGORDO
The town centre is marked by noticeable
gradients in the land with two very different
areas: the Cerrillo or high neighbourhood and
the Plaza or low neighbourhood. The houses
are usually two-storey with an interior courtyard
and, in the past, had a stable and straw loft.
Although most of the architecture is everyday,
thirteen houses have small street shrines
housing religious images of Crucified Christs,
Virgins and Saints, some dating from the 16th
century. These niches serve to consecrate the
streets and encourage local devotion.
Riogordo
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some relics showing its town plan including large
buildings, houses, a cemetery with tombs carved
into the rock, etc. from this second era. There is
also an underground reservoir spread across
three bays interwoven with a further three side
bays; this spatial layout provides nine
interconnecting compartments via arches
covered by barrel vaults. It was declared a
historical and artistic monument in 1931.
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Another interesting religious building is the 17thcentury San Sebastián chapel, also known as
Jesús Nazareno (Jesus of Nazareth). The
rectangular plan has a nave covered by a
quadrant vault with lunettes (small half-moon
vaults opening out into the main vault so as to let
light in) that are lavishly decorated with vegetable
motifs. The High Altar is preceded by a trefoil arch
and covered by a cross vault.
The local riogordeños are people with deeprooted traditions, as seen in Holy Week. More
than four hundred neighbours take part in staging
scenes from Jesus’ public life and the most
important moments from the Passion. This
representation, known as El Paso, is done in a
few nearby places on Good Friday and Easter
Saturday and is famous in the region for its
dramatic rigour and excellent acting.
COLMENAR
Colmenar
Colmenar municipality is a natural border
separating the areas of Axarquía, Montes de
Málaga and Antequerana region, leading to a
diverse landscape. In the most north-westerly
area is the limestone mountain range and
Antequerana Rockies whose forms gradually
smooth out giving way to the slates of the Montes
de Málaga, a warmer landscape thanks to the
olive groves and forest grove. The municipality’s
most eastern area houses an olive and cereal
grove landscape more typical of High Axarquía.
To the far south of the hills is the so-called
Corredor de Colmenar (Colmenar Corridor), the
former route inland where, in ancient times,
human settlements sprang up, finally to become
present-day Colmenar centre.
Remains found in Las Pulseras Cave –
ceramics, polished axes and a bracelet fragment
giving the name to the cave – show Neolithic
occupation in the area. Next to Arroyo de las
Zorreras, a Bronze Age cemetery has also been
found although, regrettably, the tombs have been
looted. Roman-era relics barely remain but the
existence of towns in Rengles and Cortijo
Morisco areas is known, linked to oil and cereal
production in the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D.
Some remains of a mould for smelting medallions
and ceramic pieces from the Moorish era have
been found. During the Christian reconquest,
Hamet ‘el Zuque’ sold these lands to Francisco de
Coalla in 1488. This land, alongside more his
heirs acquired, would go to make up the Coalla
Estate from 1558 until finally, in the 1812
Constitution,
Colmenar
achieved
its
independence as a town.
Old granary building dating back to the
XVIII century
Colmenar preserves a clearly Arab-influenced
town plan with narrow, winding streets. The
impeccably whitewash houses usually have two
floors and a back yard which, years ago, was
used as a farm yard and has, today, been made
into an ideal spot to rest and avoid the summer
heat. The numerous street niches or chapels high
up on the house fronts are a surprise for visitors
wandering through the streets. They house
mostly tile images of Saints, Virgins and Christ
figures, which are a clear sign of the town’s
devout nature.
The Puerta de la Cruz welcomes visitors into
Colmenar. This is a monolith monument located
under a belfry carrying the town’s heraldic coatof-arms showing a historical milestone: the
moment Hamet ‘el Zuque’ transferred these lands
to Francisco de Coalla.
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68
Ethnological Museum
The 18th-century Baroque chapel houses the
statue of Jesus of Nazareth which has major
similarities to the Carthusian Monastery Sacristy
in Granada. The hexagonal plan houses lavish
decoration combining geometric and vegetable
motifs with a peculiar array of mirrors, all covered
with a dome housing a lantern. It is a work of
great artistic quality.
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Finally, under an old main door is the San
Antonio flour mill. This building is a small jewel
in itself well worth a visit. However, its private
status makes visits only possible on Fridays,
Saturdays and Sundays.
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Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria
(Our Lady of Candelaria Hermitage)
Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria chapel patron
saint of the town, is a small church started in the
17th century but having gone through later
alterations in the 18th. Known to locals as ‘the
Convent’, it has a single nave and flat roof with a
square-plan chancel and flat front covered by an
hemispherical dome resting on decorated
scallops with popular motif Mannerism
plasterwork. The Virgen de la Candelaria chapel
is the most notable feature, the sculpture
following the 17th-century Granada School style.
The great exterior façade is striking: a Roman
arch framed by robust Tuscan pendentives and
an entablature in the upper section finished by a
three-span belfry with bells.
A natural frontier, Colmenar has been a silent yet
watchful witness to all those civilisations who
have passed through Axarquía lands.
ALFARNATEJO
Both Alfarnate and Alfarnatejo share a common
history. Their proximity means they have the
same landscape and, anthropologically,
developed in the same way.
Although there is evidence of prehistoric human
settlements in the Alfarnatejo area, as seen at the
sites found in the River Sábar gorge, in the area
known as the rocks of Alfarnatejo and the cliffs of
Vilo (housing schematic cave paintings from the
Chalcolithic period), none of these settlements
were permanent.
The existence of a farmstead beside Sábar
Castle is also documented, the ruins of which are
still preserved on the summit of Doña Ana Hill. An
emir-era building that disappeared during the
caliphate, it was a small low hins in a difficult-toaccess area using land features to put up thick
irregular stone walls. During the Nasrid period it
answered to the castle built on Castillejo de
Alfarnate Hill.
Arco del parque de Alfarnatejo (Arch in the
Alfarnatejo park)
The first documentary evidence of Alfarnatejo
village and its centre dates from 1609. For many
years it had its own authorities and parish
although it didn’t become independent until the
beginning of the 19th century.
In the highest part of the town is the most
significant Alfarnatejo building – the Baroque
Santo Cristo de las Cabrillas (Holy Christ of
the Goat Herds) church. Due to its dilapidated
state, the original 18th-century building had to be
rebuilt at the end of the 20th. To the interior
Iglesia del Santo Cristo de las Cabrillas
(Santo Cristo de las Cabrillas Church)
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70
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción
(Our Lady of Assumption Church)
Nuestra Señora de la Asunción parish church
is the most notable building in Colmenar. Set in a
rocky outcrop in one of the highest areas in the
town, construction was started in the middle of
the 16th century with three naves separated by
Roman arches resting on square base pillars
covered by reinforcements. The church has a
transept preceded by a main arch and covered by
three cross vaults, the same as the chancel.
Some alterations were undertaken in the 18th
century incorporating three lavishly decorated
Baroque chapels with plasterwork showing
garlands and ovals. To the outside is the
impressive bell tower with Roman arches housing
the bells in the third and last section.
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The old Pósito (granary) building stands out
amongst civil structures and was built at the end
of the 18th century. Although greatly refurbished
thanks to its many uses throughout the years
(county prison, courthouse, cooperative,
vocational school, etc.), it is a two floor building
preserving its original ‘U’ plan, covered by a
gabled roof and with a back courtyard. To the
outside, there are two pendentives attached to
the wall – the only adornment to the façade.
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As in Alfarnate, the mountains encircling
Alfarnatejo were a necessary route inland,
making them a lure and refuge for bandits
although, at present, the area’s rough terrain is
only home to gentle goat herds which, alongside
farming, are the main means of subsistence in
the area.
The Alfarnatejo Mountains are not only
captivating for the incredible bandit legends
oozing from the rocks but also for the riveting
challenge of the sheer faces and cliffs.
Despite being nine hundred metres above sea
level, Alfarnate is located in a relatively flat area.
There are no large gradients in the centre layout
or anarchy in the streets, but there is, to say the
least, a singular feature – the centre is split by the
Arroyo de Palancar which can be crossed by
bridge at three points. Traditional architecture can
be seen in the artesanal wells, public fountains
and Moorish-inspired rustic houses such as those
in the El Barriche area.
Alfarnate
Historically, Alfarnate has not been a stable town,
its special location meaning it became more of a
stopover than a place to set up home. In fact,
although archaeological remains have been
found showing Neanderthal presence during the
mid-Palaeolithic period, as well as temporary
Neolithic camps in Alazores port in the municipal
area at the Arroyo de Palancar terraces, there is
no evidence of permanent human habitation, not
even during the Moorish period.
It is known there was a mediaeval-period in the
area known as Castillejo de Alfarnate,
responding to the protection needs in this natural
transit frontier area. But, it was not until the
Christian conquest that the first references to the
Village of Alfarnate and its foundation are made,
although it did not gain independent town status
until the beginning of the 19th century. Santa Ana
parish church is the most outstanding building in
Alfarnate, finished in 1736 although undergoing
major alterations in 1883. There are three naves
separated by Roman arches resting on pillars
and, to the outside, attached to the end is the
three-section tower, the highest housing the bells.
The 16th-century Mudéjar-style Town Hall was a
former grain warehouse and has two floors. The
lower floor has two parallel aisles to the façade
and opens on to the street via exposed brick
arcades resting on three Roman arches with
cross vaults to the inside. The upper floor houses
three Roman arch spaces matching those on the
lower floor and linked via a gallery.
In the highest part of the town, known as El Barrio,
is the 16th century Virgin of Monsalud chapel.
The interior is divided by two naves, the left being
wider than the right. Behind the chancel is the
chapel to Alfarnate’s patron saint. To the exterior,
the arcade resting on interlinked pendentives via
Roman arches stands out. The local holidays are
held in honour of the Virgin at the beginning of
September, the highlight being the traditional
battle between Moors and Christians.
Mudéjar Arch in Alfarnate
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ALFARNATE
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Alfarnatejo and hill in the background
rectangular plan with its flat altar end are two
naves separated by Roman arches resting on
pendentives. The main wider nave is covered by
a collar beam roof whilst the side aisle has a leanto. To the outside are a brick and stone finish and
a Roman arched entry opening out to a circular
space. Next to the left-hand side is the squareplan, four-section bell tower which, at the top,
houses a space to each side, three with bells. It is
a simple building with harmonious sizes and
volumes.
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Ermita Virgen de Monsalud (Virgin of
Monsalud Hermitage)
Responding to the needs of people and goods
traffic – it being an almost obligatory stopover – La
Venta de Alfarnate, the most famous county inn,
was run between the 16th and 19th centuries,
starting its business in 1690. Taking advantage of
the passage of convoys through the area
surrounded by high mountains, in the 19th century
attacks and misdeeds by famous bandits such as
El Tempranillo (The Early Bird), El Bizco del Borge
and El Pernales (Hard Flint), amongst others were
carried out.
PERIANA
Venta de Alfarnate
To the northwest of Axarquía county, in the River
Guaro valley and protected by the Alhama and
Enmedio Sierras, lies Periana – a beautiful
vantage point over the seductive landscape
surrounding La Viñuela Reservoir with the sea on
the horizon.
The magnificent enclave – a high plateau
protected from the cold north winds – has an
excellent climate which, alongside the fertile land,
provides it with a landscape brimming with its
best-known and main source of income – the
green olive groves and peach trees.
On Alcolea, Fuerte and Capellanía Hills, within
the municipality, archaeological remains have
been found showing human habitation in early
eras. On the last, Neolithic human presence has
been documented, first as a seasonal enclave
and then as a permanent settlement. This
settlement lasted until the imperial Roman period,
as revealed by the relics found of a major rustic
town that had a complex living system spread
across a central street crossing the hill from east
to west.
There is evidence of a farmstead with defensive
settlements in the Moorish period, one in the
Cuesta de Santana and the other further to the
south, known as Pereiro. There is a large
meadow between both that became a village in
the 18th century and is where present-day
Periana centre is located. Due to the major 1884
earthquake, a large number of buildings were
rebuilt meaning a significant change to the
architectural and planning network.
The most important religious building in the town
is San Isidro Labrador (Saint Isidore the
Labourer) parish church built after said 1884
earthquake. The neo-Mudéjar church has three
naves, the main one being considerably wider
than the side aisles, which are separated by
lancet arches resting on cast iron columns
supported by stone blocks. The side aisles, the
High Altar and the transept are covered with false
Gothic fan vaulting with the central nave having a
coffered ceiling. To the outside, visitors may
admire the exposed brick façade whose entry is a
segmental arch with a paired horseshoe arch
oculus span. At the highest part the façade is
finished by a belfry with two Roman arches
supporting the bells.
Periana
In our stroll around Periana we can see many
beautiful and surprising nooks such as the
Cuatro Caños fountain. Visitors may quench
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74
At present, the former Venta de Alfarnate, located
two kilometres from the town, has become a
restaurant-museum offering the chance not only
to taste the most typical regional dishes but also
to admire varied tools belonging to the world of
bullfighting, popular arts and brigandage. We
recommend making a stop on the way in this
ideal place, as did our ancestors, so as to gather
strength before setting out on our journey once
again.
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Santo Cristo chapel is a curious building in the
outskirts of the centre surrounded by rocks, pine
trees, almond trees and holm oaks. The
whitewash stone rectangular-plan church has a
large barred window where the image of a
crucified Christ stands, looking more like a rustic
altar than a chapel.
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The Vilo Baths, a mere two kilometres away in
the outskirts of the centre, are an interesting
place to visit. They are old medicinal Arab baths
said to have healing properties for some skin
disorders. They were fitted out and provided with
services to be managed as a Spa from 1823 to
1907. They have recently been reclaimed and
restored for public use.
The area also has an important number of
hamlets and farmhouses which, through the
years, have been populated and become, in
some cases, important districts, such as
Mondrón – famous for its excellent oil.
Periana
Alcaucín is located to the north of Axarquía, in the
foothills of the Sierra Tejeda where the
spectacular Maroma (the highest mountain in
Málaga measuring 2,080 metres although,
curiously, it belongs to the neighbouring Granada
region) rises up. Behind the so-called Boquete de
Zafarraya opening, the natural pass and ancient
route to the Alhama area, in the highest western
part is the gentler rising Periana corridor. This
varied landscape lends it a spectacularly rich
setting.
The oldest human relics from not just this area
but the entire region were found in the
municipality. A Neanderthal jaw and femur from
the so-dubbed Zafarraya Man were discovered at
nearby Zafarraya cave.
One of the most important fortified buildings in
Axarquía is the so-called Zalía Castle, located in
Alcaucín municipality on the hill of the same
name. It has been said that it was originally a
Phoenician settlement later used by the Moors.
The first mention dates to 909 regarding the riot
against the Cordovan state. It is also known from
Islamic chroniclers that in 1082, it surrendered to
the king of Granada and that, in the 12th century,
became head of the district. The fortress was one
of the most important Taha in Axarquía alongside
Bentomiz (Arenas) and Comares. The Tahas
were main district military forts owning several
farmsteads. Zalía district included an area
covering the present municipalities of Alfarnate,
Alfarnatejo, Periana, Viñuela, Venta de Zafarraya
district and part of Alcaucín. Thanks to the rivers
and brooks, this area possessed good irrigation
lands, country and hills for cultivating vines, fertile
fields for cereal crops and magnificent pastures.
These unbeatable land features favoured human
settlements through the ages. In 1485, two years
before the conquest of Vélez, it fell into Christian
hands.
Alcaucín
Zalía Castle is located on a small hill five hundred
metres above sea level in a strategic area,
enjoying views out over the transport route
between Alhama, Zafarraya and High Axarquía. It
can be seen from relics remaining today that it
had a double walled enclosure with thick stone
marked with strong towers. To the inside are the
remains of what was a large rectangular cistern
known ‘The Queen’s Reservoir’, and an
impressive entry gate flanked by two large stone
towers built-up with walls on the top.
It is known that Alcaucín centre was founded as a
farmstead with a small 10th century hins, lasting
Cactus plant with ripe fruit in Alcaucín
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ALCAUCÍN
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their thirst here drinking the generous fresh,
crystal-clear waters. A stone carving of Tiburcio’s
face dating from 1875 is preserved on one of the
jets. Another singular building is the public
laundry that still conserves the stones the
women used to wash clothes. It is, in reality, a
natural spring over which the simple building was
constructed.
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Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario (Our
Lady of the Rosary Church)
The six hundred fanega (954 acre) land
belonging to Zalía area were awarded to Pedro
Enríquez after the Christian conquest and linked
to the Algarrobo Estate, making up what would
later become Alcaucín municipality. The town
centre, however, would remain depopulated until
the end of the 17th century. At the start of the 18th
century, Nuestra Señora del Rosario church
was built and a mayor was named to legally
represent the area. The Baroque-style church is
located in the town square although its sober
architecture is surprising. To the inside are two
naves separated by three Roman arches, with
the left aisle standing out for the rococo circular
plan chapel. There are also some magnificent
18th-century polychrome and gold statues of a
Baby Jesus and Immaculate Virgin.
In the high part of Alcaucín is the 18th century
Baroque Cemetery or Jesus del Calvario (Jesus
of Calvary) chapel. This small square-plan
building is covered by a beautiful coffered ceiling.
The façade has a Roman arch resting on
exposed brick pendentives and crowned by a
simple belfry.
VIÑUELA
Viñuela municipality is a natural frontier between
the so-called Colmenar corridor located to the
north and Axarquía hills, to the south. The gentle
country houses an extraordinary feature that has
changed Axarquía landscape and agriculture –
the main water source on the western Costa del
Sol, Viñuela Reservoir.
The town’s origins go back to the 17th century
when a country inn called La Viña was built on the
Royal Vélez-Málaga to Granada Road in a setting
surrounded by vines. It would soon become an
inn for travellers to gather strength and hit the
road once again. A village centre giving rise to
present-day Viñuela sprang up around this inn
over the years and is still conserved today.
However, despite Viñuela being the newest
Axarquía municipality, archaeological remains
testifying to prehistoric man’s presence in the
area have been found in Llanos de Herrera and
on the River Guaro terraces. The discovery of
large Roman glazed earthenware jugs and oil
grinding stones leads us to believe there must
have been some type of oil mill in the area.
San José church, built next to the old country inn
facing the present Town Hall, was a chapel until
1731 when Bishop Diego González de Toro y
Villalobos extended it and consecrated it as a
parish church. It is a simple rectangular-plan
building with two chapels at either side of the
nave and a balustraded choir resting on a
segmental arch.
The façade is very simple, the entrance having a
small niche housing the image of Our Lord God
with Baby Jesus. Off-centre with regards to the
entry, there is a belfry with an archway where the
bell hangs.
Entrance of a home in Viñuela
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A walk around Alcaucín stimulates the senses –
the sinuous streets are very uneven saved by
pronounced slopes betraying their Moorish roots.
Along our stroll are singularly beautiful places
such as the so-called Cinco Caños (five jet)
fountain or the original church square. The air is
perfumed with bread and cakes, and fertile
generous lands – unmissable pleasures brought
together in an impressively beautiful setting.
CONVENTION BUREAU
until the 11th, and was used as a watchtower.
There are hardly any remains of this small castle
located in the outskirts of the town, known as the
Alcázar (citadel), although it is worth going up to
the settlement and enjoying the walk and views.
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Two kilometres from town is a small 19th-century
chapel devoted to the Virgen de las Angustias
(Our Lady of Anguish), patron saint of Granada.
When the old Granada road was built, a small
cave housing a picture of the Virgin was
destroyed; a promise was made that, if the work
finished without problems, a chapel would be built
to her and this is what happened, making her the
patron saint. The church has a small nave
covered by a barrel vault and a wooden entry
under a lancet arch, rounded with a triangular
pediment finishing in a bell tower.
Iglesia de San José de Viñuela (St. Joseph of
Viñuela Church)
The local viñoleros parade the image every year
from the chapel to San José church, which
houses it from the middle of July until September.
Visitors may watch and take part in the different
greetings during the pilgrimage, soaking up the
special local communion between devotion and
folklore.
t
These characteristically
small white farmhouses sit
on the Axarquía landscape
contrasting with the browns of the
hills and mountains sheltering them.
They are simple buildings made from stone
and brick walls, wooden doors and windows, ironwork and clay tiles on the roof. Their typology is
equally basic and functional following a single floor house type split into two or three rooms inside.
In some cases, there is an additional attached outhouse to keep animals and work tools.
Patio with potted plants in La Viñuela
A major feature making these buildings stand out is the drying trellises placed on a slight slope in
front of the farmhouse, making use of the hillside. They are rectangular and face south to get most
sunlight hours, being used to dry grapes and turn them into raisins. The grape harvest, picking,
drying, selection and packaging is an artisanal, painstaking job requiring fertile lands and deeprooted know-how only local Axarqueños seem to possess.
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The Traditional Arquitecture Route
6. HE TRADITIONAL
ARCHITECTURE ROUTE
Axarquía
has deepr o o t e d
farming
traditions
with buildings
related to vine
cultivation and
grape juice and
raisins a major
legacy – a barely
considered living
testimony to our past.
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The farmhouse and drying trellis route starts off in
Moclinejo, heading towards Almáchar on the MA149. From here head down the MA-148 until
Borge and, following the MA-147, on to Cútar.
The MA-146 takes us to Benamargosa,
continuing down the MA-145 ending in the A-335
junction. Going for around two kilometres in the
Vélez-Málaga direction, take the diversion for
Benamocarra, the MA-135. Our route around the
traditional architecture ends by following the MA136 to Iznate.
1,000 foot soldiers heading towards Málaga
under the orders of Alonso de Aguilar was
attacked from on high with rocks and arrows by
the inhabitants of the farmstead, provoking
numerous casualties amongst Christian troops
who, in reprisal, set fire to the Moorish houses.
There is a gully still called Hoya de los Muertos
(Valley of the Dead) today in memory of this sad
event.
As it was a farmstead, the Moorish origins can be
seen in the town layout – the short, somewhat
steep streets slide along the hillside going up and
down without any apparent order, finally coming
together in Plaza de España which is the town’s
nerve centre and home to the most outstanding
buildings. The enclave’s charms increase thanks
to the handmade cobbles by Antonio Salado – the
town’s official stonecutter and paver –covering
the ground in the beautiful square.
Santa María parish church is located in the
town’s lower area and documented in old files
dated 1505, although the 1725 renovation added
some Baroque features.
A street with parterre in Moclinejo
The Traditional Architecture Route
Although the surrounding landscape has no
standout hills, it is craggy with major gullies. The
presence of Valdés and Granadilla Arroyos,
which only carry water in heavy rains, contributes
to vegetation being scarce, with dry farming of
olives and almonds, alongside vines, the town’s
main source of income.
Vineyards in the Moclinejo municipality
The church is split into two naves, the main one
being covered by reinforcements, with the
adjacent nave separated by Roman brick arches
with a marked alfiz (ornamental panel) on stone
columns highlighting the Mudéjar style. A singular
feature is the modernist style ironwork screen in
the choir. The square-plan tower has various
sections separated by imposts, although the
weight of its forms lends it a solid look. In the last
bell section is a trio of Roman arches, the central
one being the highest and widest, covered by a
hip roof finished by a cross. The entrance is
asymmetric with Gothic features softened by later
Baroque additions.
The local economy has, for a long time, been
based on the sale of traditionally made dessert
wine and raisins, seeming to confirm Moclinejo
locals’ commitment to preserving and promoting
ancient production methods.
.
.
Iglesia de Santa María (St. Mary's Church)
Bearing in mind we are on the tradition raisin
route, winepresses and farmhouses maintaining
their original structures can be found around this
and neighbouring municipalities. The single
storey mainly rectangular buildings have two or
three rooms and are covered by a gabled Moorish
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MOCLINEJO
One of the county’s most important and bloodiest
historical events took place in Moclinejo, where
the famous Marquess of Cádiz battle with Zagal
was fought. An army of 2,700 horsemen and
CONVENTION BUREAU
Moclinejo
Tourism and agriculture are the two major
sources of income for the county’s economy and
must work together. In recent years, both public
bodies and private initiative have focused efforts
in recovering and preserving this highly valuable
rich ethnological heritage, seeking out a balance
making economic development possible whilst
remembering fundamental issues such as
respect for the environment and protecting
unique distinguishing marks in the region’s towns
– this is the main challenge today.
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The town’s origins, of course, go back to Moorish
times, when it belonged to the Comares Taha
alongside the neighbouring towns of Moclinejo, El
Borge, Cútar and Benamargosa, including it in
the so-called Cuatro Villas (Four Towns) area. In
the Christian conquest period it is mentioned by
several authors under the name of Machara
Haxar (land of meadows), making reference to its
rural character and magnificent lands.
The church has two magnificent Baroque
chapels: some writers have said that the 1756
Cristo de la Misericordia (Christ of Compassion)
also known as the Cristo de la Banda Verde
(Christ of the Green Band) is a sign of gratitude
from fishermen saved from a shipwreck, whilst
others say the reason was the town’s thanks for
protection from the 1754 earthquake. Whatever
the reason, Almáchar locals have a great
devotion to this image housed in the original
octagonal plan shrine covered by a hemispherical
vault accessed from the vestry. Its main body
projects to the outside with built-in columns,
rhomboid plates and high entablature crowned by
a ceramic pyramidal roof standing above Mártires
Street and standing on an arch resting on a
neighbouring building. Virgen de los Dolores
chapel dates from 1808 and has a polygonal plan
with capital corbelled pendentives. It is covered
by a hemispherical vault with ribs and segments
lavishly decorated with rococo-style polychromed
plasterwork showing symbols of the Passion.
The town centre layout equally reflects its
Moorish roots with sinuous, narrow steep streets
The entry is a somewhat decentred portico-tower
with certain similarities to constructions on the
On a small hill between El Borge and
Almáchar Rivers in the heart of the so-called
Axarquía hills, the municipality spreads out over
the basin of both with a landscape dotted with
small farmhouses, market gardens, orchards and
tropical produce. Being on the traditional raisin
route, there are farmhouses with their traditional
drying trellises where grapes are left in the sun to
become the rich raisins having made these towns
so famous.
Raisin Museum in Almáchar
Sierra de Sevilla, leading some researchers to
believe that the master builders came from the
area. The alfiz-decorated tower lends it a Mudéjar
character.
Another interesting Almáchar building is the Casa
Museo de la Pasa (Raisin Museum), located in
Plaza del Santo Cristo. It is a two-storey
magnificent old popular-style building showing us
how grapes are harvested and made into raisins
in an informative way. It also has an interesting
collection of farm equipment and work tools.
.
.
ALMÁCHAR
San Mateo church in Almáchar centre matches
the so-called Gothic-Renaissance style although,
logically, there are later, especially Baroque,
additions. It was consecrated in 1505 over the
foundations of a former mosque, with its parish
status confirmed by papal bull in 1510. It was
originally a single nave building but was extended
in 1525. The oldest remains belong to Mudéjar
contributions on the roofs and eaves, whilst the
square altar end is covered by a Gothic style fan
vaulting which is a rarity in the region. The main
stone arch before the altar rests on thick columns,
lending it a monumental character.
84
Plaza de España, Almáchar
inaccessible to traffic. The old quarter is in the
Cabras area in the lower part of town.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Almáchar
tile roof with the south-facing main door made
from wood, as are the windows. Located in the
southern slope of the rolling Axarquía hills so as
to take advantage of the sunlight hours, these
farmhouses house the unmistakeable square
plan drying trellises on a slope to the front, in the
lowest part of the building. They are used to sundry the grapes, turning them into raisins, and are
covered at night and in rain by canvas to keep out
humidity and prevent any damage. This particular
feature of the hilly Axarquía landscape dotted
with drying trellises is a further example that roots
and traditions are, fortunately, still very much
alive and preserved in many spots, Axarquía
being their standard-bearer and bastion.
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El Borge is located at the bottom of Cútar Hill next
to the river bearing the same name. The
municipality marks the end of Axarquía and the
beginning of Montes de Málaga and the landscape
is a mixture of gentle hillocks with ravines, covered
in vines and olive groves; there are also irrigation
crops such as citrus fruits, fruit trees and
avocados.
El Borge
La Posada del Bandolero (Hotel-Restaurant)
The recently built Arco de La Pasa (‘Raisin
Arch’) welcomes visitors to El Borge, its two
murals inserted into the supporting columns
paying a simple homage to two local
personalities: the 13th-century Moorish doctor
and botanist Ibn-baitar and Martín Vázquez
Ciruela, one of the most prestigious 17th-century
theologians and professor of humanities at the
Court of Felipe IV.
A stroll around El Rinconcillo neighbourhood in
the town centre is a pleasure visitors should not
miss. The popular design of the whitewash
houses, crammed full with vibrant colourful plant
pots, spreads out in a particular way through
labyrinthine streets, overcoming the uneven
ground with rustic steps and building solutions;
albeit primitive, the latter are truly charming and
recreate the austere peaceful atmosphere of the
early last century, allowing visitors to recover from
the hectic pace of the electronic world. Walking
The square-plan tower has Roman arches and
clear Mudéjar dogtooth eaves. The brick and tile
front has an entablature resting on pendentives
framing a basket arch with archivolts, lending a
notable Renaissance example to Axarquía
architecture.
The building also has two noteworthy Baroque
features, one in the choir loft with uneven plates
and cross vaults finished in 1784 and the other, in
a chapel closing the Gospel aisle at the transept
which has an octagonal plan with a vaulted niche
and eight-section vault. To the outside, it becomes
an original square-plan chapel tower with two
octagonal sections finished by a glazed tile roof.
Below the tower is an old crypt with many tombs.
Next to the entry is a ceramic panel in memory of
a curious old local tradition, where young
townsmen publicly declare their love to young
Another recommended stop is El Sarmiento Bar
located in the lower part of town which is, in reality,
a Popular Arts Museum.
The most notable building in El Borge is Nuestra
Señora del Rosario parish church, built on the
orders of the Catholic Monarchs and consecrated
on 25th May 1505 by the Archbishop of Seville,
Diego de Deza. The Gothic-Renaissance structure
was built over the foundations of a former mosque.
The church has major similarities with that in
Comares and Santa María de la Encarnación in
Vélez, both with a square altar end preceded by a
triumphal arch and straight walls in the side aisles,
although it is modest in size has an extra floor
section accentuating the basilic nature. The
pointed arcade has archivolts resting on cruciform
pillars. A Mudéjar frame some researchers
attribute to Vélez native Pedro Díaz covers the
central nave and octagonal altar end.
Iglesia de Ntra. Señora del Rosario (Our Lady
of the Rosary Church)
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Fuente del Cuerno
Its Arab origin name seems to derive from ‘Alburch’, meaning tower. It is documented as being
a farmstead belonging to Comares Taha, known
as Cuatro Villas since it also included Cútar,
Benamargosa and Moclinejo farmsteads. Thanks
to preserved chronicles, we also know about the
strong resistance to the Christian conquest the
local inhabitants showed and the support given to
the 16th-century Moorish uprising.
through the streets visitors come across the
Fuente del Cuerno (‘Horned Fountain’),
located in the street bearing the same name,
being nothing other than a small structure
housing a recently restored old Moorish well. We
highly recommend a visit to La Posada del
Bandolero Hotel-Restaurant situated close-by,
which is also known as El Bizco del Borge
Museum and exhibits many historical objects
from the romantic era of Andalusian bandits. A
famous bandit known by this nickname, Luis
Muñoz García, was born here in 1837, to later
give the run around to the Civil Guard in Axarquía
and Sierra Morena, where he committed most of
his misdeeds. He was killed by the Civil Guard at
Grande de Lucena Farmstead (Córdoba) in 1889.
Whilst some remember the romantic legend of his
adventures and deeds as benefactor to the
working classes, the Civil Guard considered him
the most bloodthirsty bandits of the period.
CONVENTION BUREAU
EL BORGE
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Torre de Ntra. Señora del Rosario
(Ntra. Señora del Rosario Tower)
Although it is not an architecturally important
building, El Borge has a small chapel next to the
cemetery housing the patron saint, Saint
Gabriel, the village venerates from Easter
Saturday to Easter Monday, when the local
holiday and religious and ludic celebrations are
held.
The local Alborgeños love tradition and have
recovered interesting cultural events such as
circle dances and old verdiales groups. This
pleasant welcoming town invites everyone to
share and experience its raisin tradition on Raisin
Day. This celebration falls on the third Sunday of
September, with informative demonstrations of
the grape harvest, transfer, drying, selection and
packaging processes. Visitors are also given a
bag of raisins to be tasted whilst enjoying the
songs and dances in El Borge centre.
CÚTAR
The name appears to come from the Arabic Cautzar
meaning fountain of paradise. It was a farmstead
belonging to the Comares Taha during the Nasrid
kingdom, having a small castle (hins), although there
are no remains today. After the Christian conquest, it
fell into Málaga jurisdiction. In early years, it had a
mainly Moorish population until the 1569 rebellion
that led to their expulsion in 1570 and the area being
repopulated with Christians from Antequera,
Archidona and other Andalusian areas.
The whitewashed houses hang on to the lower
hillside, following a steep layout with drops eased
by steps on occasions, making car circulation
almost unviable.
In the highest part of the town with its high tower
is Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación church,
Cútar’s most notable building. Built in Mudéjar
style in the 16th century and renovated in the 18th
with Baroque features, it has a rectangular plan
with three naves separated by a brick arcade and
square transept. A Mudéjar ceiling covers the
central nave and chancel with the Gospel aisle
housing a Baroque chapel and interesting
plasterwork showing the Passion of Christ. There
is another beautiful small rococo chapel at the
foot of the church.
Arabic fountainof Cútar
and deeply venerated by locals. Famous
verdiales groups take part in the local
celebrations in August.
There is also a simply designed original old
granary near the church.
The church also houses images of the patron
saints Our Lady of the Angels and Saint Roque,
17th-century works attributed to Juan Cornejo
In the second entry to Cútar in Fuente Street,
crossing the town west to east, is the recently
restord Aina Alcaira Moorish fountain. Visitors
may quench their thirst and rest in this beautiful
nook before setting off anew.
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Mainly raisins and tropical plants are grown in Cútar
and its outskirts, whilst in the surrounding areas,
tropical crops, citrus fruits and vegetables were
introduced to the districts of Zubia, Salto del Negro
and La Molina.
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(Our Lady of the Incarnation Church)
Cútar extends along the northern slope of the hill
bearing the same name with the River Cueva and
tributary, the River Cútar, run through the
municipality from north to south, carrying the
necessary water to the plantations on the banks. It
benefits from a privileged enclave making it the main
transport link between Upper and Lower Axarquía
and lending the area diverse geography. To the north
are the harsh bare lands of Peña del Hierro and
Loma León, where olives and almonds are grown.
One of Axarquía’s most important prehistoric
settlements is located in the area – Hierro being a
magnificent natural fortress. Remains have been
found linked to different Neolithic, Chalcolithic and
Bronze Age periods, when the settlement became
stable with both territorial and economic organisation
over a large Axarquía area. The area also receives
many visitors enjoying adventure sports such as
climbing.
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Cútar
CONVENTION BUREAU
townswomen by firing salvos at their feet on
leaving Resurrection Sunday mass.
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Benamargosa originates at the riverbanks on its
namesake river and is a fertile place full of
plantations, orchards, citrus fruits and subtropical
trees spreading out on terraces throughout the
valley.
The town centre has two clear areas, the lower
part with new buildings and the church and the
upper, with zigzag sloping streets giving away its
Moorish roots.
(Our Lady of the Incarnation Church)
Torre de la Iglesia de la Encarnación
(Tower of the Church of Incarnation)
Historical archives go back to the 13th century
when the famous botanist Ibn Beithar, an El
Borge native, wrote a treatise on lemon tree
planting, recounting his attempt to introduce
citrus tree farming to the valley. It wasn’t until the
15th century, though, that we discover the large
population and presence of an inn for travellers
thanks to chroniclers at the time. After the
Christian conquest, peaceful Moors lived in
harmony with new settlers until their expulsion in
the 16th century.
The original Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación
parish church dating from 1505 was a single
nave church located on the foundations of a
former mosque. It was extended in 1546 to three
naves, with one of the walls being knocked down,
although remains from the original church walls
may be seen today. There is a straight transept
covered by eaves, with rectangular pillars and
lancet arches with an alfiz; the slightly raised High
Altar opens out behind a large lancet arch also
covered by a Mudéjar ceiling. The ‘U’-shaped
choir on corbels is somewhat more recent and
finished in a Renaissance style.
The two Baroque chapels date from the 18th
century: Jesús Nazareno chapel is in the right
aisle, where a limited section between transverse
ribs with an elliptical vault serves as an
antechapel meaning the structure protrudes from
the church wall and links to the neighbouring
building via an arch the street passes under. The
octagonal plan has Corinthian columns and an
eight section vault, the other chapel being
attached to the altar end, protruding from the
building and standing on a basket arch with lavish
decoration, pendentives and entablature. The
rectangular-plan tower has Mudéjar features,
being robust and thick and similar to those in
Comares and Totalán. The sober main entry has
a Roman arch, entablature, window and
triangular pediment.
Benamargosa has two small chapels that,
although lacking architectural prominence, are
well worth a visit. The cemetery chapel was built
in 1840 on the orders of María de Santiago as a
tomb for her husband. The other is located on
Ermita Street in the high neighbourhood, enjoying
a view over the impeccable valley full of citrus
fruits and tropical crops thanks to local effort and
dedication.
BENAMOCARRA
Iglesia de Santa Ana (Santa Ana's Church)
Benamocarra spreads out over gentle hills dotted
with almond and olive trees, although avocadoes,
lemons and oranges have recently started to be
grown. The town centre is on Quera Hill and looks
out over thr Vélez River Valley. The Moorish past
is ever-present, both in some houses conserving
entry arches and interior patios and in the place
name – coming from Bani Mukarram,
descendents of Ibn al-Mukkarram. It is also
known that it was one of the most important
farmsteads in the Nasrid period attached to Vélez
city, having a strong tower next to the mosque.
On the other side of the tower were an oil mill,
oven and a fountain known as Hassan el
Cordobí. The farmstead mainly lived on vines,
almonds and figs.
When Benamocarra was conquered by the
Catholic Monarchs’ troops Santa Ana parish
church was built over the former church, which is
presently the area’s most significant building. It
was built in the last third of the 16th century and
has three naves separated by lancet arches
resting on bevelled pillars and is covered by a
Mudéjar roof; the altar end is octagonal. The
building underwent major refurbishment in 1949,
with transverse arches and outdoor buttresses
being added. The Mudéjar-style tower has a
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Benamargosa
CONVENTION BUREAU
BENAMARGOSA
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The area has a second religious building, the
mid-19th century Santísimo Cristo del Calvario
(Christ of Calvary) chapel which, although not
being architecturally outstanding, is well worth a
visit.
There are beautiful nooks to be discovered along
the welcoming village streets, getting to know
some curious historical notes and traditions via
ceramic street panels along the route. The quiet
square is worth mentioning, Benamocarra having
dedicated it to one of its most illustrious sons –
the famous musician Eduardo Ocón Rivas. The
sculpture in honour of women in the Plaza de la
Mujer Trabajadora is also worthwhile, as is the
Plaza del Calvario in recognition of all those
working the fertile land. Both are by José
Casamayor.
Mosaic and flowers in Benamocarra
Iznate town centre is built on a hill lending the
town its name, overlooking the hillside landscape
covered with vines, olives and almonds. Only the
small plantations using River Iznate waters alter
the typical Axarquía landscape.
As with most municipalities in the region, the
place name appears to come from an Arabic
term, hisnat, meaning castles. Some researchers
point to the first inhabitants being a Berber group
settling here at the turn of the 13th century.
Iglesia de San Gregorio. Iznate
(St. Gregory's Church. Iznate)
At the end of the 15th century, in the years of the
Christian conquest, Iznate is documented as a
farmstead under Vélez jurisdiction. At first, most
of the population was Moorish, finally expelled
San Gregorio church was built in the town’s
present main square between 1571 and 1577
next to the ruins of a former mosque. It has a
single rectangular nave although, to the left-hand
side, there are three chapels, with the baptismal
one having a Mudéjar frame. Under the
patronage of the Marquess of Iznate, the present
entry was put together in 1888: a Roman arch
with three medallions dedicated to Saint Peter,
Saint Paul and another with the Jesuit initials JHS
crowned with a triangular pediment; six
buttresses protrude on one outside wall. The
square plan tower is finished by a bell section with
two Roman arches to either side.
dramatisation. Saint John signals where the
statue is hidden whilst Saint Peter denies him
three times. They then pick it up and show it to
the Virgin, showing her that her son has been
resurrected. The locals proceed to set off rockets
whilst four girls leave the statue at Our Lady’s feet
and remove the mourning veil. At this point, the
procession restarts filled with joy for the
Resurrection, coming to an end at the church.
Antonio Campos Garín, the first Marquess of
Iznate and great monarchist politician during the
reign of Alfonso XII, is an illustrious local son,
being Senator of the Kingdom, Great Cross of the
Order of Isabella the Catholic and Commander of
the Order of Carlos III. His son was the Jesuit
priest Nicolás Campos Torreblanca, whose
donations meant Iznate parish could be restored
and decorated. He also left valuable works of art
such as a Saint Francis of Padua attributed to
Zurbarán and an 18th-century polychrome wood
Immaculate Virgin, amongst others. The
Marquess’ residence – an ancestral home known
as the Palace – is located in the town centre,
albeit in an unfortunately sad state-of-repair; the
town council presently attempting to acquire the
building, restore it and open it to the public.
On Holy Saturday, Iznate locals act out a curious
tradition of hiding the statue of Baby Jesus
around Santo Cristo chapel next to the cemetery.
During the Virgen de los Dolores procession on
Easter Sunday, twelve masked locals
representing the twelve apostles act out a simple
Iznate Street
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IZNATE
and largely replaced with Christians from
Antequera and Estepa.
CONVENTION BUREAU
rectangular base and exposed brick, with the
upper section having four horseshoe arches
housing the bells.
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position. Cylindrical, polyhedral, conical and
horseshoe forms were used in construction with
visibility being taken into account with regards to
location, both for the greatest length of coast and
the ability to see the previous and next towers.
They usually had a solid base to stop them being
destroyed, with the living quarters on top followed
by an upper section with embrasures for defence.
t
We have
always
been
surrounded by old
fortresses
and
towers along our
coastline that are a
part
of
our
environment and
history.
Having
defied man’s neglect
through the years,
many still stand today
– silent witnesses to
our eventful history.
From their privileged
position
they
have
observed battles, massive
Moorish fleeing, violent
privateer incursions, capture of
prisoners, French navy attacks
during the War of Independence,
rebel landings such as General Torrijos
in Mijas Costa...
Throughout history these ancient sentries have carried out
an unmistakeable frontier vocation and, thus, a defensive need since, from the expansion of Islam during
the Middle Ages, the southern Mediterranean has seen two opposing civilisations – Muslim and Christian
– meet and dispute back and forth the area’s hegemony, with good moments for one and the other.
The 1492 conquest of the Kingdom of Granada by
the Catholic Monarchs meant a major number of
Nasrid Muslims went to Africa, although some
returned taking part in invasions on the Peninsula
or supplying valuable information to Algerians
and Berbers.
Tower in ruins, beach of the San Luis de
Sabinillas colony
94
.
.
The beacons made up the first line of defence to alert of any danger threatening the coast. Used from
olden days in defensive tactics, it was the Moors who perfected the system, the Arabic name al-manara
meaning ‘place of light’, alluding to the smoke and fire code used to warn of enemy presence and maritime
Defence of the Kingdom of Granada coastline fell
to a series of towns with castles and walls in order
to repel any enemy invasion. On the western
coast, the front line was Estepona, Marbella,
Fuengirola, Benalmádena, Torremolinos and
Sabinillas and Santa Clara Castles linking to other
towns and refuges in the mountainous barrier
inland such as the fortifications of Manilva,
Gaucín, Casares, Ojén, Istán and Mijas; these
had a double purpose – to help coastal garrisons
and safeguard main roads inland. Also, where
enemy invasions occurred, civilians could shelter
in the enclosures and become militia if so needed.
The Watchtower Route
7. HE WATCHTOWER
ROUTE
Some of these towers originate from the Moorish
period (Middle Ages), whilst others are Christian
structures, some being built on top of earlier
towers. From the twenty-eight still standing in
various states-of-repair today on Málaga’s
western coast, at least ten are Nasrid: Chullera in
Manilva; Guadalmansa and Baños in Estepona;
Duque, De La Mar and Ladrones in Marbella;
Blanca in Fuengirola (although the structure has
been greatly altered); Quebrada and Bermeja in
Benalmádena, and Costa and Molino de Pimentel
in Torremolinos.
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Sabinillas Castle interior
After the death of heirless Carlos II ‘The
Bewitched’ in the 18th century, the ‘War of
Succession’ (1701-1713) took place. Archduke
Carlos of Austria’s pretensions to the Spanish
Crown conflicted with those of Felipe V, Duke of
Anjou. The conflict was finally solved with the
latter’s victory and the loss of Gibraltar.
RECOMMENDED ROUTE:
The route sets off in Torremolinos heading to
nearby Benalmádena after taking the exit on the
N-340 (E-15) for Arroyo de la Miel –
Benalmádena. From this beautiful town, head on
the A-368 in the Mijas town direction. In Mijas,
go on down to Fuengirola on the A-387. After our
new visit, carry on towards Marbella, once again
on the N-340 (E-15), but before getting to the
town and stopping off in Cala del Moral, known
as the Cala de Mijas, to visit the Torres Vigías
(Watchtower) Visitor Centre. After passing
through the beautiful old town, carry on towards
Benahavís, taking the A-6205 exit. The route
follows back on the same road until we get back
on the N-340 (E-15) for Estepona. Follow this Aroad until San Luis de Sabinillas, in the Manilva
district. Then, head up towards Manilva on the
A-377 carrying on the same road afterwards to
Casares, where the route ends.
Sabinillas castle interior
TORREMOLINOS
Man had already been attracted to this region and
its privileged climate with the generosity of the
sea in prehistoric times. The nine skulls found in
the Tesoro, Tejones, Encanto and Tapada caves
attesting to this fact (now disappeared since
being located at the present Santa Clara Castle)
where clay dishes, axe blades, necklaces,
bracelets, etc. were also found alongside
Neolithic remains from a Mesopotamian town,
according to the historian Temboury.
Once the journey is over, head back to Málaga
on the N-340 (E-15) or, for a quicker route, take
the toll motorway in Manilva AP-7 (N-340 /E-15).
During the Roman occupation, Torremolinos had,
at least, three salting mills, although only the
remains of one are preserved on old Benítez
Campsite land. There is also a small cemetery
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The first War of Independence took place in the
following century against the invasion and
occupation by the French army (1808-1813),
leading to bloody battles and, later, the liberal
revolt by General Torrijos in 1831.
All these national and international tensions
affected the coast as it saw the presence of
enemy ships and attacks from the sea. Until the
last century, this worn-out obsolete defensive
tower and fortress system was kept in use but,
with the modernisation of defensive systems
and the much-sought peace we have
experienced in recent times, the watchtowers
have been abandoned. Some Town Councils,
such as Mijas, have made efforts to restore
them, giving them magnificent uses like Visitor
Centres sharing our historical and cultural
heritage and bringing us closer to a past we
should never forget.
Guadalmina Watchtower
The Mediterranean was a setting for battles
between the two great powers – the Spanish and
the Ottomans – until, as a result of Lepanto
(1571), a change occurred due to the switch in
the political interests of both: Spain towards
northern Europe and Turkey towards East Asia.
The détente between the two titans meant the
Mare Nostrum took a back seat, although small
struggles, piracy and, later, privateering
continued, experiencing a second golden age
from the end of the 16th to the 18th century.
These latter points were the real reason for
attacks on the new land and sea border, with
privateering being nothing but individual shipping
businesses against State enemies undertaken
with its permission and authority. This
distinguishes it from the unjustified violence of
piracy.
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The new frontier to the former Nasrid, now
Christian, kingdom, which was always under
threat of internal conflict with Moors who were
seen as collaborators, led to permanent tension
between new Christians (former Muslims) and
older ones. The possible danger of Moors to the
Peninsula inland should be gauged within the
confrontation western and Muslim civilisations
upheld in the Mediterranean.
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The first documentary information relating to the
area goes back to the 15th century, the Christian
conquest years, where a marvellous place known
as Los Molinos de la Torre (‘The Mills of the
Tower’) is mentioned in the land division. The
area came under Málaga jurisdiction in 1502
under the name Torres de Pimentel (Towers of
Pimentel), in recognition of Rodrigo Pimentel,
Count of Benavente, to whom the Catholic
Monarchs awarded some of the land in thanks for
his collaboration and contribution in the seizure of
Málaga.
Molino del Inca (Inca Mill)
Pimentel Tower has also been preserved,
located on San Miguel Street. This pedestrian
street houses several businesses, making it one
of the town’s busiest and most important streets.
At the far southern end is Bajondillo Beach,
famous for its expanse and fantastic facilities. A
few metres away is a neo-Arabic structure built at
the beginning of the 20th century: the Casa de
los Navaja, a beautiful extravagance of a
Churriana local who decided to build a large
house directly emulating Mudéjar structures and
decoration.
BENALMÁDENA
Located at the heart of the Costa del Sol,
Benalmádena is made up of three town centres:
Benalmádena Pueblo – the oldest area with clear
examples of traditional Andalusian architecture
and planning such as narrow streets and
whitewashed houses; Arroyo de la Miel – a more
recent centre with the town’s shopping centre and
several residential neighbourhoods; Benalmádena
Costa – an authentic holiday town with typical sun
and beach facilities.
There has been human settlement in the area
since distant times as confirmed by the different
research and archaeological digs in Zorrera,
Botijos (also known as Cacharros) and Toro
Caves, where many top quality, excellently
preserved relics have been found that are now
on display at the Municipal Archaeological
Museum.
Phoenicians and Romans settled in the area, as
attested to by the salting mill in Benal-Roma and
remains found in Torremuelle and Capellanía.
However, the place name and old town layout
Benalmádena
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Torremolinos’ recent history is based on coastal
tourism development, transforming a small
Casa de los Navaja (Navaja House)
Torre Pimentel (Pimentel Tower)
Some of the mills having given the area its name
still remain, such as the so-called Molino del
Inca, located in the Los Mantiales area. It is the
oldest structure and was used to grain cereal,
being the first to received water from the sierra. It
has now been restored with a 40,000 botanical
garden being built in the setting.
fishing village into an outstanding tourist enclave.
The Carihuela area is located between Pimentel
Tower and Bermeja Tower (belonging to
Benalmádena municipality) – a small fishing at
the foot of the beach that transformed its old
houses into beach bars and restaurants where
the famous fried fish from our coastal towns could
be enjoyed. The most traditional Torremolinos
neighbourhood, however, is El Calvario located
in the high area and conserving the traditional
flavour of the old fishing village it once was in
both its architecture and way of life. Thanks to
this, we are able get closer to the village lifestyle
before the tourism boom in the seventies.
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from this era that appeared when building work
was being done on Plaza Cantabria. The name
comes from a 14th century tower where the
town’s main business was undertaken: mill
operations.
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Torrebermeja watchtower owes its name to the
red land colour it is built on. Located at the
entrance to Benalmádena Marina, it is a Moorish
structure albeit with some alterations from the
Christian period. The double crown impost and
ravelin at the base stand out.
Castillo de Bil Bil (Bil Bil's Castle)
Colomares Castle, built between 1987 and
1994 by Esteban Martín with the help of two
builders from neighbouring Mijas, is also worth
mentioning. It is a monument in tribute to the
discovery of America with different architectural
styles (Gothic, Romanic, Mudéjar, etc., even
Oriental) being, without doubt, a singular
structure.
Estupa
The Jardines del Muro (Gardens) lookout at the
top of Benalmádena Pueblo offers a grand
panoramic view out over the area’s foothills and
beautiful coastline. The 16th-century Santo
Domingo church is next to the gardens,
although it has undergone repeated alterations
with most original features having disappeared.
On the coast is a 1930 neo-Arabic style
structure: Bil Bil Castle. The exterior red plaster,
decorated with tiles and bas-relief, follows Nasrid
lines, with the Málaga architect Enrique Atencia,
commissioned by the Hermann family, being
responsible for the project and build. It was,
though, another American family – the Schestros
– who bought and lived in the palace until its final
purchase by the Town Council, when it was
made into a Cultural Centre with exhibitions,
conferences, concerts, etc.
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There is another municipal building near the
Palace demonstrating the council’s decided bet
on cultural activities, the Exhibition Centre. The
modern, impeccable building is specifically
designed for art exhibitions, placing
Benalmádena onto the most prestigious
international painting, sculpture, photography,
etc.
The heart of the town centre is the Plaza de
España, with Jaime Pimentel’s sculpture La Niña
de Benalmádena (‘The Girl from
Benalmádena’) offering all visitors water in a
conch shell, and becoming a symbol of the area.
Iglesia de Santo Domingo (St. Dominic's
Church)
The Estupa de la Iluminación (Enlightenment
Group) was unveiled in October 2003, a
Buddhist monument to world peace, prosperity
and harmony for meditation. The estupas are
one of the oldest architectural structures built in
all countries where Buddhist philosophy
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The Archaeological Museum is at the entry to
Benalmádena Pueblo, housing the best
collection of pre-Colombian art in Europe, thanks
to Felipe Orlando’s donation. It also displays
major Palaeolithic and Neolithic pieces from local
history. A worthwhile curiosity is the marble used
in the Museum flooring, which comes from an
18th-century sunken ship off the municipality’s
coastline, as is a 16th-century sculpture of Diana
Cazadora in one of the rooms.
Castillo de Colomares (Colomares Castle)
Torrequebrada watchtower is also a Moorish
legacy, although, as with the latter, it underwent
some alterations in the 16th century. It is located
atop a sheer peak and owes its name to being
split for some years. The last beacon, known as
Torremuelle, is a Christian structure that served
as support to the coastal defence system.
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come from the Moorish occupation.
Unfortunately, the mediaeval castle no longer
stands, having been destroyed by Christian
troops in the conquest although, on the coast,
Benalmádena has three watchtowers – two
dating from the Moorish era.
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Mijas
Benalmádena has many tourism and leisure
attractions with a marina, underwater park,
casino, golf course, riding centre, bird of prey
protection centre and falconry show, theme park,
cableway, etc. making it a unique, fascinating
place.
MIJAS
The town centre has two religious buildings: the
first, Virgen de la Peña (Virgin of the Rocks)
chapel, excavated in the rock by Mercedarian
brothers mid-17th century and housing the patron
saint. Although not striking, it certainly makes for
an interesting visit thanks to the unique structure
and the magnificent esplanade in front with an
impeccable garden enjoying fabulous views out
over the Costa del Sol. The second is Inmaculada
Concepción (Immaculate Conception) church
above the hill esplanade, where the castle and
original mosque were located, although few relics
remain. The three-nave church has a central
Mudéjar coffered ceiling with a solid square-plan
tower some writers claim to be built with material
salvaged from the former fortress.
Historial and Ethnological Museum of Mijas
The Mijas Historical Ethnography Museum in
the former Town Hall building in Plaza de la
Libertad brings the town’s past and roots to
visitors. The two-storey building has two 1916
Hercules to the front by French sculptor Th.
Porres. To the inside is the standout central
courtyard around which the different thematic
rooms are organised: La Sierra, El Campo
(countryside), La Bodega, Molinos de Aceite (oil
mills), La Panadería (bakery), La Carpintería
(carpentry), Sala Carmen Escalona (a Mijas
potter), El Telar (textiles), La Vivienda Tropical
(tropical housing) and Sala Manuel Cortés Quero
(know as El Topo – the mole), the last Republican
mayor of Mijas forced to hide in his own house for
thirty years.
Mijas has many interesting tourist attractions,
such as the small 1900 bullring in the La Muralla
area with an oval arena that appears
quadrangular from the outside. To the outside is
the Bullfighting Museum showing photos,
posters, costumes, capes, etc. and numerous
objects recalling the best action from the most
famous matadors having fought in this ring.
Carromato Max is a curious miniature museum
located on Compás Avenue with singular pieces
such as a portrait of Abraham Lincoln done on a
pinhead or the Our Father written on the edge of
a business card.
The municipality has four watchtowers:
Calaburra Tower built in 1515 according to the
historian Temboury, although others date in to the
early 17th century; Calahonda Tower from the
beginning of the 16th; Nueva Tower, from the
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Mijas City Hall
As stated, the Mijas area is large, running from the
sierra foothills to the coast with three population
centres in Mijas Pueblo (town), Las Laguna and
Cala de Mijas, Mijas town lying eight kilometres
from the coast which, despite being a major tourist
centre, preserves all its Andalusian village charm
with small squares and streets with whitewashed
houses lodging small craft shops like Moorish souk.
However, visitors immediately notice the most
original tourist lure: the famous donkey-taxis hired
to go through the most picturesque Mijas nooks.
Ermita de la Virgen de la Peña de Mijas
(Virgin of la Peña de Mijas Hermitage)
Few areas are as privileged as Mijas, running from
the rocky sierra to the gentle beach, a guardian
over the water and white sentry in the mountains.
The first historical reference to Mijas is found in
Ptolemy (2nd century A.D.), a geographer from the
School of Alexandria who described some local
places and spots with detail. Tamisa, as the
Romans called it, was located where the church
and bullring stand today, probably a prosperous
town near the Apia route linking Málaga and Cádiz.
Arab chroniclers from the era recount how the city,
known as Mixa, was conquered by Abdalaziz, son
of Muza, after landing in 714. A pact was agreed
with the Visigoths where, for providing protection,
they kept their property, and followed their religion
and customs in exchange for a percentage from
farming and livestock. At the end of the 9th and
beginning of the 10th century during the Umar ibn
Hafsun rebellion, Mijas passed between the
emirate and rebels. In 1487, it would finally fall into
Christian hands, although it would not be until 1512
when it was awarded a town charter, exempting it
from sales tax, as a show of thanks for remaining
loyal to the crown during the commoner rebellion.
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flourishes. The geometric shapes symbolise,
amongst other things, the elements: earth, water,
fire, air, space and conscience. The temple is a
further sign of the integrating and inter-cultural
attitude of the welcoming Benalmádena
community.
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FUENGIROLA
Fuengirola’s coastal location undoubtedly meant
it was inhabited far back in time. Its Phoenician
foundation under the name of Suel is known, a
name it would keep until the Moorish period. The
arrival of the Romans meant it became key, as
seen in the remains found at sites on El
Secretario and Acevedo estates.
The mill has three different spaces: a large open
room for quartering, a second with tanks for
salting fish and a third, smaller room for storage.
Next to the mill is the Alfar (pottery workshop)
with five kilns, three having been totally
excavated. The thermal building is entered via a
small decorated hall with wall paintings and a
mosaic floor, followed by a porticoed courtyard
serving as access points to the different rooms.
To the north is the apodyterium (changing room),
to the south, the latrine and small cold water
pool. To the east is another pool and to the west,
the heated area made up of four rooms. The first
of these is the tepidarium or warm room, the
second a quadrangular room with a circular pool,
the third is thought to be a sudatorium (steam
bath) and the last, the caldarium (hot room).
There is an open space to the north of the heated
area, thought to be a gardened area linking to the
porticoed courtyard and the service area. Farther
to the north is the castellum aquae (water tank)
on a heightened area.
Towers of the Sohail Castle in Fuengirola
The other Roman settlement in the Fuengirola
municipality is Finca Acevedo, next to the
cemetery. There are still remains from the salting
mill, houses and late Roman necropolis but
these are not open to visitors.
The Moors changed the place name to Sohail, a
star from the Argo Navis constellation which,
according to tradition, could be seen from the
castle at the edge of the Fuengirola River. The
castle is on a small hill making it an exceptional
vantage point over a large part of the coast and
is built on the ruins of former Punic and Roman
settlements. Under the caliphate, a beacon tower
was built with a ribat (defensive enclosure) being
added by the Almoravids in the 12th century with
Sohail Castle
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Finca Secretario en Fuengirola (Secretario
Estate in Fuengirola)
El Secretario Estate Roman site is in Boliches,
the complex being established between the end
of the 1st and middle of the 4th century. There
are two different spaces: an industrial area,
made up by a salting mill and several ceramic
ovens, and another with a thermal building with
several heated rooms.
Fuengirola
Fuengirola municipality lies in a narrow stretch of
land on the coast whose appearance has notably
changed in the last fifty years due to tourist
development. It went from being a small fishing
village to an exceptional holiday centre with new,
modern buildings completely different to the
town’s past.
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Tower in the Arabic walls of Mijas
beginning of the 19th century and the most
modern on the entire Málaga coast; and Batería
Tower, popularly known as La Cala Torreón,
where the Torres Vigías Visitor Centre is
located. The latter has been restored as a
monument and centre to spread the area’s
historical and cultural heritage, with the rooms
based around three main themes: Sala de las
Torres room has a general display on the origins
and functions of the watchtowers on the Málaga
coastline. The Sala de la Pesca Tradicional has
models of traditional fishing vessels as well as the
tools used and other aspects related to the
activity. Sala Torrijos pays homage to the freedom
and defence of constitutional order, taking the
landing of General Torrijos on Mijas Costa
beaches as a theme.
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History Museum of Fuengirola
The castle was conquered by the Christian army
in 1485 with its structure being altered. The main
tower ceased to be the entry in the 16th century
with a new gate added in the north wall and an
eastern tower being taken down to build a
platform for canons. The Count of Montemar
carried out new alterations in the 18th century to
house the cavalry. The battery area was
extended years later with the high area at the
front and southeast of the wall being
strengthened. At the height of the War of
Independence in the 19th century, the castle was
occupied by the French army who destroyed the
southwest corner of the wall when withdrawing. A
few years later, the building stopped being used
until it was restored and made into a cultural
centre in 1995.
The best example of religious building is Virgen
del Rosario church in Plaza de la Constitución,
having a Baroque front with two pendentives and
a split pediment with a niche at the top.
Marbella is the most international of Málaga towns
and, as well as a first class tourist enclave thanks
to the magnificent beaches, hotels and service
infrastructure, holds fantastic archaeological and
architectural attractions with several museums.
Humans have lived here from prehistoric times,
as seen in the interesting relics found on Correa
Reserve in Las Chapas area, in the Puerto Rico
Shelters and Palomina, Nagüeles and Pecho
Redondo Caves, the latter from the Neolithic era.
Phoenicians also settled here evidenced by
relics from the banks of the River Real.
Mosaic of the Roman Villa of Marbella
Some researchers point to the area of Marbella
old town being a Roman centre, the former
Salduba. Leaving conjecture aside, Roman
occupation in Marbella is more than proven with
the magnificent Río Verde Roman villa site and
Las Bóvedas thermal baths.
Next to the river basin, from where it gets its
name, is the Río Verde Roman villa dating from
the end of the 1st and beginning of the 2nd
century A.D. The main peculiarity lies in its
mosaic decoration. To the north is a room with a
mosaic of Gorgon, the western side of the
courtyard housing a marine ensemble with oars,
dolphins and anchors, and to the south the most
original and valued geometric motifs with other
culinary themed figures.
Las Bóvedas thermal baths are on the
Mediterranean coast in the Guadalmina area;
they are thought to have been built in the 2nd
century A.D., although reused in the late empire
years until the 5th century A.D. It is a singular
building not for its use but for its design – the
enclosure is octagonal and is formed by a large
octagonal room with a pool in the middle,
Arabic mosque in Marbella
Mosaic of the Roman Villa of Marbella
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Fuengirola Zoo
Our proposed route around this fascinating area
ends in a fun trip to Fuengirola Zoo where, as
well as exotic animals, they do excellent
recovery work with species in danger of
extinction.
MARBELLA
Fuengirola has a History Museum exhibiting
ethnographic objects alongside pieces found in
archaeological digs, the so-called Venus of
Fuengirola marble sculpture being a standout
piece. The area also has two cultural spaces: the
Casa de la Cultura and the Palacio de la Paz,
housing exhibitions, concerts theatre and dance
shows year-round.
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eight wall sections and towers. The main tower
provides access to the interior space using a
crank axle system.
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In San Pedro Alcántara, which some writers
identify as ancient Cilniana, are the remains of a
double apse Palaeo-Christian basilica and
necropolis from the late 5th and early 6th
centuries A.D. that was used until the Visigoth
era.
Nonetheless, it was the arrival of Islam that
bestowed greater importance on the city. In the
old town are the caliphal wall and Alcazaba
fortress remains belonging to this period,
although with later alterations.
Documentary and architectural evidence show
Moorish Marbella to be a walled city with the
Puerta de Ronda, Puerta de Málaga and Puerta
de Mar gates opening to the north, east and
south respectively. We also know that it had
several towers, like Cubo and Chorrón. The
streets were narrow and zigzag as would be
expected of a Hispano-Moor design, with the
city growing and developing outside the walls
from the 8th century to the conquest by the
Catholic Monarchs.
Major works were undertaken in the 17th
century to pipe water to public fountains, with a
commemorative plaque placed on the Town Hall
façade.
The 18th century left some important works such
as El Calvario chapel, some palaces in Ancha
and San Francisco Streets and, especially, the
large Encarnación church in Plaza de la
Caridad, with three naves and a domed
transept.
Marbella, however, not only has great
archaeological and architectural heritage but
also six excellent varied museums.
The Contemporary Spanish Print Museum,
located at Bazán Hospital, started its print
collection thanks to the donation made by José
Luis Morales Martín, one of the most important
Iglesia de la Encarnación (Incarnation
Church)
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Marbella City Hall
The Christian arrival changed town planning
slightly with straight wider streets. The famous
Plaza de los Naranjos comes from the 16th
century, having remained the nerve centre of
Marbella until today. It is home to representative
Bazán Hospital
Marbella Watchtower
civil buildings such as the Casa del Corregidor
Don Pedro de Villandrado (Chief Magistrate
and first Christian mayor), built in 1504 and
combining Mudéjar and Gothic features over
three floors with a two-storey door made from
yellow sandstone. The Town Hall also stands
out, built between 1504 and 1512 in a
Renaissance-Mudéjar style with a magnificent
coffered ceiling in the Assembly Hall. Other
religious buildings from this century are: the
original Santiago and Santo Cristo chapels,
the latter undergoing extensive reforms in the
16th, 18th and 20th centuries; the GothicMudéjar San Juan de Dios hospital has a side
façade with a courtyard surrounded by a Roman
arcade and a chapel inside; the RenaissanceMudéjar Bazán hospital, the present Spanish
Print Museum, has a roofed turret with three
Roman arches, a standout courtyard and
chapel. The presence of votive crosses and
street chapels is also noteworthy.
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accessed via two asymmetric staircases. Around
the central room are four apses and six
interconnecting outbuildings covered by a cross
vault. The structure has a second annular gallery
floor leading to a series of small rooms; access
to the upper floor was via a now-disappeared
staircase. The building was topped by a terraceplatform with a room outside covered by a
Roman arch. Excavations have shown part of the
drainage system and original paving pieces as
well as many mosaic relics.
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Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo
(Museum of Contemporary Spanish Engraving)
The Cortijo Miraflores Museum is an old
farmhouse from the early 18th century which
had sugar and oil mills. The building itself is a
jewel housing the Oil Museum, with several
rooms for permanent and temporary exhibitions,
an image library and an audiovisual room. It also
has other attractions such as an old
archaeological park, home to an old cave chapel
dating to around the 9th century. Next to this,
towards the east, are the five sugar furnaces,
considered to be the best preserved in Europe,
and the gardens playing home to ancient or
unique species that lend the site unprecedented
value.
The Bonsai Museum, located in a purpose-built
structure in Arroyo de la Represa Park, was
opened in 1992. It is unique within Spain and
exhibits a magnificent collection of three
hundred of these small works of art over four
rooms, skilfully overseen by the owner, Miguel
Ángel García.
Lastly, the Mechanical Art Museum is situated
in El Ingenio Cultural Centre in San Pedro
Alcántara; the Municipal Archaeological
Collection being held in the Delegación de
Cultura building located in the Plaza del
Altamirano, with interesting archaeological
remains found at different digs and research
undertaken in the municipality on display.
BENAHAVÍS
In spite of being an inland location, its proximity
to the coast has meant it has paid a part in
coastal development which is why, although the
town centre preserves all the local colour of the
sierra villages, the outskirts have seen large
estates and magnificent golf courses.
The first centre was laid in Moorish times at the
end of the 10th century. In the shadows of
Montemayor Castle, the fortress housing all the
town’s history, battles between Moors and
Christians to Spanish and French clashes during
the 19th-century Napoleonic invasion have
taken place.
The castle and town passed into Christian hands
in 1485 when the Catholic Monarchs took
Marbella and its surrounding areas. In 1492, the
territory was handed to Juan Silva, Count of
Cifuentes, in payment for services to the Crown
of Castile. It would not be until 1572 that
Benahavís became independent from Marbella
when Felipe II awarded it a town charter.
The castle relics are located outside the town
centre, with part of the walls and Reina Tower –
the most noteworthy part of the fortress – still
being seen, although there are also remains of
what were once rooms and a well. In addition, in
the municipality there are several mediaeval
watchtowers built in the Nasrid era such as the
very well preserved Leonera, Daidín,
Campanillas, Tramores and Esteril.
A stroll around the town centre is also
worthwhile, through the characteristic Moorish
layout with its winding streets, enjoying the order
and tranquillity of the whitewashed houses and
quiet squares. A last interesting monument is an
Castillo de Montemayor (Montemayor Castle)
old 16th-century palace with a small Nasridstyle porticoed interior patio.
The original 18th-century parish church
dedicated to the Virgen del Rosario has been
knocked down due to its bad state-of-repair. A
larger church for town worship is presently being
built.
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Ralli Museum
Museo Cortijo Miraflores (Cortijo Miraflores
Museum)
The Ralli Museum is located in the Coral Beach
area and principally exhibits classical European
and modern Latin American works of art.
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of its kind. It also has a print workshop,
temporary exhibition space and conference
room.
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columns and marble statues, as well as thermal
baths.
Human occupation of these lands dates to
prehistoric times, as confirmed by the roughly
carved stone tool find from the Palaeolithic period
alongside ceramic relics, carved stone equipment
and polished stone axes from the Neolithic.
During the first stages of the Copper Age, settlers
who knew how to use metal arrived in Castillejos
de Estepona (in the Pedregales area). Bellshaped glasses with geometric decoration have
been found at the site, as well as fragments of
large pots for storing grain, polished stone axes
and flint tools. In the Bronze Age, these
settlements still persisted and became more
complex from a social and working viewpoint. The
exceptional discovery of five well-preserved
dolmens from the periods in the Corominas area
has contributed greater knowledge about these
primitive settlements. Ceramic dishes, arms and
personal adornments in the interred tombs were
also found at excavations with metal tools and
some intact decorated bell-shaped pots standing
out.
The Phoenicians arrived on Estepona coast in
the 9th and 8th centuries B.C. At El Torreón hill
settlement, next to the River Guadalmansa,
remains of an old Phoenician city called Astapa
were found with relics from houses, warehouses,
etc. alongside several everyday objects such as
amphorae, plates, urns, ceramics, coins, jewels
and an important terracotta bust of the
Phoenician god Bes.
The arrival of the Moors on the mainland and the
establishment of the Andalusian emirate meant
the occupation of the land and the building of El
Nicio Castle, held throughout the 9th, 10th and
11th centuries A.D. The fortress was extremely
important during the Umar ibn Hafsun rebellion
against the Cordovan emirs, finally being
conquered by emirate troops in 923 A.D. Parts of
the walls and some towers in the difficult-toaccess mountain area remain, although are not
able to be visited.
During the Abd-ar-Rahman III caliphate in the
middle of the 10th century A.D., a castle was built
in the present town centre, known then as
Estebbuna, leading to the name Estepona. The
fortress followed Cordovan models with a
rectangular plan, corner towers and ashlar walls.
It was rebuilt in the Catholic Monarch period and
finally destroyed in the 17th century – only a well
remains under the Town Hall courtyard.
Estebbuna passed to the Algerian Taifa kings (9th
century), Almoravids and Almohads (12th and
13th centuries), Marinids (13th and 14th
centuries) and finally, the Nasrids (14th and 15th
centuries) until the 1456 conquest by Enrique IV
of Castile. The king ceded dominion to the
Marquess of Villena and despite efforts to
Estebbuna Castle in Estepona
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Detailing on the Clock Tower in Estepona
At the end of the 3rd century B.C., the Romans
conquered the mainland. The most important
Estepona settlement in the period was the
Roman town ‘Las Torres’, where different
excavations have unearthed several ceramics,
coins, rooms with mosaic floors, remains of
With the fall of the Roman Empire from the 5th
century A.D., the town was based around larger
settlements, where the area dedicated to
Christian worship has a major role: the basilica
and matching burial area. One of these
cemeteries has been excavated in the Arroyo
Vaquero area uncovering some thirty tombs,
some containing individuals buried with ritual
objects such as small ceramic jugs.
Estepona
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ESTEPONA
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Guadalmansa or Desmochada Tower in the
Cabo Bermejo area dates from the 10th century,
although major alterations took place in the 16th. It
is the only squar-plan example in the municipality
and has two inside floors with semi-circular domes.
The staircase leads to a large terrace with a 19thcentury sentry box and machicolation facing north
on the vertical line of the gate.
Arroyo Vaquero Tower in the Bahía Dorada
garden area, Saladavieja Tower in Punta Doncella
area, Padrón Tower in the Hotel Kempisky
gardens, Velerín Tower in Velerín district as well as
Saladillo Tower in the Saladillo area date from the
same period (the second half of the 16th century)
and are the same type: circular-based with a room
containing a chimney and brick dome, staircase
and terrace to the inside. Some also have a 19thcentury sentry box and machicolations facing the
four points of the compass.
The coastal town with its humble people,
necessarily hardened by the events having led to
so many power changes and later abandonment,
obtained its total independence from King Felipe V,
as seen in the City Charter signed by the king
himself in Seville on 21st April 1729 and kept in the
municipal archives.
The standout 18th-century Virgen de los
Remedios church in the town centre belonged to
the now disappeared Franciscan convent until
1835, when it was sold. It is a three vaulted nave
church with a dome over the transept; the rococo
stone façade has some late Hispano-American
Baroque features.
There was a further church in another area
dedicated to the Virgin that disappeared in the
1755 earthquake, built on the orders of Enrique IV
in the last third of the 15th century over the
foundations of a former mosque. The Reloj (Clock)
Tower is the only surviving feature, although
underwent extensive restoration in the 19th
century following classic lines with some Baroque
nuances.
Ermita del Calvario (Calvary Hermitage)
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.
.
Virgen de los Remedios Church
Casasola or Baños Tower is in the Hotel Atalaya
gardens and is a 14th-century horseshoe-plan
structure with an added ravelin (reinforcement) at
the base. It boasts the narrowest beacon on the
Andalusian coast measuring fifteen metres.
As for the aforementioned watchtowers, seven
magnificent examples may be seen in Estepona
municipality – two having Moorish origins.
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Guadalmansa Tower
repopulate and defend it, Enrique IV finally
abandoned and destroyed it so that it could not
be retaken by the Moors. After the conquest of
the Kingdom of Granada by the Catholic
Monarchs, it was subject to Marbella jurisdiction.
With a royal warrant, Fernando Zafra took charge
of repopulating the city in 1502, forty years after it
was abandoned. The building and restoration of
some watchtowers was included in the
repopulation and maritime defence policy, as well
as the old Moorish fortress. In spite it being rebuilt
between 1503 and 1504, the fortress was not
adapted to military innovations from the use of
artillery so, in 1523, San Luis Castle was built,
being no more than an extension to the mediaeval
castle. Two embankment walls were built
extending the east and west wall sections south,
having an angled shape with a canon bastion at
the vertex, repeated at the southeast and
southwest fortress walls. For the following
centuries it continued its function until the start of
the 19th, when it was left in ruins after destruction
by the French. At present, only the western half of
the south wall and central bastion remain.
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There are some 18th-century stately homes to
be discovered in the town centre such as that of
the Marquess of Mondéjar or the Casa de la
Borrega.
The modern bullring is also worth a special
mention, being built in 1927 on a special
asymmetric design and elliptic shape making it
unique. It also houses four museums transporting
us through Estepona’s remote history and
traditions.
Antonio Ordóñez Bullfighting Museum, named
after the great matador and first owner of the
bullring, has many photographs, posters,
costumes, etc. from famed matadors, as well as
heads from fighting bulls, emblems and irons
from Spanish and Portuguese stock farms and
many objects related to the national celebration.
The Archaeology Museum brings together
pieces from all eras and cultures found at the
area’s sites, the oldest relics being some
Palaeolithic stone tools. The Phoenician era
material from El Torreón site stands out, with
different ceramics, coins, jewels and, especially,
the terracotta Phoenician god Bes. Roman
remains found at Las Torres are displayed, such
as ceramics, coins, mosaic paving, columns,
marble statues, etc. There are also Moorish
ceramics and coins from El Nicio Castle ruins (9th
to 11th centuries), alongside other objects from
Estebbuna city, the Moorish Estepona from the
10th to the 15th centuries.
Thanks to all this, Estepona is an unmissable
stop on our route along Málaga coast since, as
well as its undoubted historical and heritage
value, it also has top-class sun and beach tourist
attractions creating added value for this
marvellous town and its open friendly locals, who
really know how to treat visitors well. It is a
coastal paradise combining leisure, history and
culture, and entertainment under the Andalusian
sun.
MANILVA
Manilva’s position as the present border between
Málaga and Cádiz provinces near the Strait of
Gibraltar has meant human settlements in the
area have, since the distant past, sprung up
almost continuously. Proof of this are the
archaeological remains found in Sierra de Utrera
Ruins of the Roman city. Manilva
from the Neolithic period and those on the castle
hill, between Alcorrín and Martagina brook, from
the Bronze Age. However, the area took on
special importance during the Roman period as
seen in the Roman villa relics found under San
Luis de Sabinillas Fort, those from the tower on
Hacho Hill, as well as the ceramics found at the
walls of Haza del Casareño. Interesting Middle
Ages remains have been found at sites on
Sepultura mount, Alcaría, Tesoro Hill, Terán,
etc. It is also known that at least one of the
watchtowers, the one on Punta Chullera, has
Moorish origins.
From the 16th century, Manilva’s history runs
parallel to Casares, belonging to said county at
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.
.
Paleontology Museum
The Palaeontology Museum instructively shows
and explains the wealth of fauna fossils from the
Pliocene era (four million years) found in the
area. There are 2,000 fossils and 600 species
making it the most important European collection.
The trip is spread over four thematic sections: the
first, an introduction to palaeontology and
geological time; the second, evolution; the third,
molluscs; and the fourth, Pliocene marine fauna
from other areas.
The Ethnography Museum aims to show local
lifestyle and customs over recent years, with an
exhibition space over four thematic rooms: the
Sala de Miniaturas (Miniatures) with scale
reproductions of farming tools and equipment;
Sala del Campo (Country) with different
functional tools (beekeeping, sowing, harvesting,
threshing, stockbreeding, forging, etc.); Sala
Marinera (Seafaring) with different boat models,
fishing skills, tackle, knots, etc.; and lastly, the
Sala Transmediterránea with three passenger
boat models, a binnacle, a bridge and several
charts.
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The 18th century Calvario chapel is a square-plan
structure with a cross vault dominating the simple
architecture.
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San Luis de Sabinillas is the second population
centre located on the coast and governed by
Manilva municipality. Duquesa Castle or Fort built
atop an earlier Roman settlement in 1767 to
defend the coast from pirates is located here.
CASARES
Major Roman relics have been found in the
municipality such as those at Cortijo de
Alechipe, a private estate five kilometres from
the town centre, the remains of a city many
researchers claim to be ancient Lacipo, built on
an Iberian-Phoenician settlement and later used
by the Visigoths as a cemetery.
The famous Hedionda baths are also an
interesting symbol of Roman heritage, declared
a Cultural Heritage Site and located on the right
bank of the brook Arroyo Albarrán. The waters
in the square-plan spa enclosure are covered
by a spherical vault on scallops and two barrel
vaults. In the Moorish caliph period they
underwent alterations extending and upgrading
the structure and channels, moving them
outside. Legend states its origin to Julius
Caesar himself, who ordered they be built as
praetor to alleviate a herpes virus in the
sulphurous chalybeate waters. Next to the
baths is a 16th-century aqueduct channelling
the river water and marked with Moorish
hydraulic flour mills that, today, are a cultural
treasure.
Index
Hedionda baths in Casares
Virgen del Rosario chapel is located in an area
bordering Jimena municipality, between the River
Torre de la Sal de Casares (Salt Tower in
Casares)
.
118
Ruins of the Casares Arabic Wall
Sal tower is located on the coast, on a rocky
headland jutting out to sea and used by Moors as
a defensive bastion. The square-plan structure
has two storeys and an octagonal vault.
.
Sabinillas Building
Located between Ronda mountains and the
Costa del Sol, Casares is surrounded by a
spectacularly beautiful mountainous and sea
setting. It was declared an artistic historical site in
1978 for its heritage and culture.
Casares was populated in prehistoric times, as
evidenced by the finds in Ferrete, Crestellina or
Utrera caves and shelters. The strategic enclave
has, thanks to its defensive nature and being a
stopover between the Straits of Gibraltar and
Ronda mountains, spurred different settlements
throughout the ages becoming a crossroads for
different cultures.
Punta Chullera Tower
The following places are also worth a visit: Villa
Matilde, the home of Ignacio Infante (brother of
Blas Infante, father of Andalusian nationalism)
with some Roman remains found in the area;
Molino del Duque mill, presently a private
residence; the small Ingenio – one of the two
sugar mills built by the Duke of Arcos here and
preserving the aqueduct and part of the 18thcentury walled structure; a 19th-century
bodega; Charca de la Mina, housing relics from
old Roman baths; Sal Tower – a farm and sugar
mill; and Canuto de Manilva – a gorge housing
many caves such as Gran Duque with prehistoric
remains.
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Sabinillas Castle
the time. The area’s high instability due to its
proximity to the coast meant King Carlos V
ordered a tower to be built on Salto de la Mora in
1528 and a garrison on Mártires hillock. This was
the origin of early Manilva which, finally, gained
independence from Casares in 1796. A few years
before receiving the Royal Charter, Santa Ana
parish church was built in Plaza de la Iglesia. The
present late 18th-century building stands on the
foundations of an earlier smaller 16th-century
church and underwent major alterations in the
1800s.
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Casares town centre has Moorish origins, as
does its name, coming from Caxar (meaning
fortress). The street design is based around the
land irregularities, making two hills and a dip. It
was only walled to the front as the natural cliff to
the rear makes access impossible there, with two
Casares Castle
gates – one on Villa Street now housing the
Ethnohistory Museum and the other, in Arrabal
Street. It also houses the ruins of a 12th century
castle inside. Perched on the highest part, the
arrival of enemies from the coast and inland could
be spotted.
Outside the walled enclosure, in the nerve centre of
Casares – the Plaza de España – is 17th-century
single-nave San Sebastián church, housing the
image of Nuestra Señora del Campo (Our Lady of
the Field), the town’s patron.
originally a convent, it has a single nave with
three brick arches on the façade and an original
adjoined 16th century Mudéjar tower with two
later sections.
Lastly, the two museums in this interesting area
are worth a mention: the Ethnohistory Museum
and the Blas Infante Birthplace Museum.
The Ethnohistory Museum located next to one of
the old fortress doors exhibits archaeological
relics and tools from Neolithic to 20th century life.
The different objects are spread over six thematic
areas: archaeology and history; farming; religion;
the physical environment; cinema and
technology; and food and history.
The Blas Infante Birthplace Museum – father of
‘Andalusian nationalism’ – is in Carrera Street
and exhibits some of the famous politician,
thinker and writer’s personal belongings. It also
has a temporary exhibition room.
Etnohistory Museum
Casares in itself is a coastal watchtower and
mountain pass, being well worth a visit on our
route around Málaga province. Heritage and
culture merge in an exceptional natural setting
seducing visitors into R&R, peeking curiosity and
showing historical delights in its silent streets.
Casares truly stimulates the senses.
A monument to Blas Infante, Casares’ most
illustrious son, is in the same square, as is the
18th-century Carlos III fountain with four fresh
mountain water jets.
In Plaza de la Fuente del Llano, to the far south
of the centre, is La Encarnación church;
View of Casares
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.
.
Iglesia de San Sebastián (San Sebastián
church)
Iglesia de la Encarnación (Incarnation
Church)
Next to the fort are several emblematic spots such
as the cemetery – unique for its circular structure
and whitewashed recesses; Vera Cruz chapel –
with only a part of its single nave remaining; and La
Encarnación church, built in the 16th century over
the foundations of a former mosque. The church
has three naves separated by Roman arches
without any remaining vaults, and a Mudéjar tower.
At present, it is being restored for use.
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Genal and the River Guadiaro, where locals
make a pilgrimage in the month of May.
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r
is made up of the
Ronda
plateau,
averaging
five
hundred
metres
high, the Sierra de
las Nieves, with the
most
important
Karst in Andalusia,
as well as the river
valleys of Geneal and
Guadiaro linking finally
with
Campo
de
Gibraltar. The many
dolomites,
limestone
rocks and massifs stand
out with the highest point
(Torrecilla) just under two
thousand metres, although
almost all reach a thousand. The
moderate altitude is countered by
steep gradients and great drops over
short distances, and deep narrow valleys
making it a difficult-to-access area.
8. ONDA
Ronda city is the departure centre for routes through Serranía de Ronda making the first logical stop on
our route the city itself, alongside the nearby Arriate area and Acinipo Roman ruins. This Roman city
houses magnificent remains including a theatre which, alongside the one in Málaga, is the most important
After leaving the city, we head to the hills via three
routes taking in the Valle del Geneal – the Moors
and Christians route; the Valle del Guadiaro – the
Origins of Man route; and the Sierra de las Nieves
– the Water Route. They all follow mountain roads
meaning caution should be taken when driving.
Arco de Acinipo (Acinipo's Arch)
RONDA
The Pileta cave paintings (Benaoján) show the
Ronda area has been inhabited at least from
the Palaeolithic era, with the remains found at
excavations in Ronda town centre pointing to
human settlement in the Neolithic era. It was
the historian Pliny, however, who, in one of his
texts, set Ronda down in history by referring to
6th century B.C. Arunda, inhabited by Bástulo
Celts whilst signalling the Iberians as founding
nearby Acinipo. Phoenicians, Greeks,
Carthaginians and Romans successively set up
later in the area in different periods.
Romans called it Laurus and built the now
disappeared Laurel Castle, where they
watched over the warlike Celtiberian tribes
although, in that era, Acinipo and not Ronda
was the most important town, even minting its
own currency.
Ronda Walls
.
.
122
Ronda
Ronda
From the deep past, the Ronda plateau has been a passage between the Campo de Gibraltar area and
eastern Málaga. It is the natural inland route through which man has adapted himself, taking advantage
of the natural environment to build stable settlements.
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Serranía de Ronda
find from the era in the region. Arriate is, on the
contrary, a Moorish town with popular and
traditional architecture seen along the routes
through the hills. The passing of time made
Arunda the main hill city thanks to its magnificent
enclave, the Moorish queen in the Taifa era. The
many monuments from all eras testify to this,
dating from prehistoric times to the present day; it
was, and continues to be, a unique place. Being
a crossroads and defiant with provincial
authorities, it always stated its individuality,
perhaps providing its greatest characteristic.
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Puente Nuevo (New Bridge)
After the break-up of the Roman Empire, Ronda
and Acinipo saw Germanic invasions. Acinipo
was occupied by the Byzantines who abandoned
it totally in the 7th century when the Visigoths
arrived in Ronda. The Moorish arrival in the city
meant a name change to Izna Rand Onda, taking
on a certain political and economic role.
Ronda Bullring
The city lost its independence in 1066, when it
came under Seville authority. Ronda was then
Christian troops entered the city in 1485 but the
happy Muslim-Christian cohabitation did not last
a long time. After the Moorish rebellion which, in
hill country, was particularly warlike, Muslims
were expelled in 1609 with a subsequent period
of decline until the 18th century, when the city
connected to the Mercadillo neighbourhood and
its famous Bullring via the Nuevo Bridge being
built.
In 1810, French troops led by Joseph Bonaparte
himself entered Ronda, giving rise to an unusual
guerrilla movement throughout the hill country
that survived even after the Napoleonic army
abandoned the city in 1812, turning into bandit
groups (the most famous in 19th-century Spain)
and inspiring many legends.
The 1891 opening of the railway and some road
building saw Ronda enter the 20th century with
notable socioeconomic development. At the
request of Blas Infante, father of Andalusian
nationalism, the city was chosen to hold the 1918
Andalusian Congress where the flag and
Andalusian Regional coat-of-arms were adopted.
Town Hall, is located. The old Ciudad
neighbourhood is accessed via Nuevo Bridge,
undoubtedly the most famous structure in Ronda,
built as a necessary direct link to the old town
from what had already become in the 18th
century, new Ronda.
The bridge was opened in 1735 but was knocked
down by a flood on the River Guadalevín six
years later. The second present-day project was
handed to Martín de Aldehuela, and finished in
1793. This magnificent, almost one hundred
metre high structure fitted perfectly with the
abrupt Tajo gorge. The bridge platform is
suported by three Roman arches, the central one
having a space which, in the past, was a jail and
is now the interpretation centre for the great
Aldehuela work.
Once having crossed the bridge, San Francisco
convent founded in the Catholic Monarchs era
and former Inquisition Court see is located to the
left. In Tenorio Street to the right is the 19th-20th
century modernist palace of San Juan Bosco (St.
John Bosco), with whimsical gardens overlooking
the magnificent hill country. Closeby is Virgen de
la Paz church, in Beato Fray Diego José de
Cádiz Street, housing the 17th-century patron
Ronda city has three geographically and almost
architecturally different areas: the original Roman
and mediaeval centre known as Ciudad, the
Mercadillo shopping area in the north and San
Francisco area in the south which, as with the
latter, started to appear in the 16th century.
A visit to Ronda usually begins in Plaza de
España, in the Mercadillo neighbourhood, where
the National Tourism Parador, and the former
Ronda Parador (Hotel)
.
.
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Ronda
Ronda
In the late 9th and early 10th century, the entire
hill area, and especially the capital, experienced
the intense Umar ibn Hafsun uprising led from
Bobastro (Ardales) against the Cordovan
caliphate. Towards the first half of the 11th
century, after the fall of the latter, Bebers made
Ronda a Taifa kingdom under which it
experienced great urban development.
dominated by different North African tribes from
this date and for the next four hundred years,
finally falling to Granada Nasrids. In such a long
period, it experienced times of growth and
prosperity, stagnation and even decline.
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Arabic Minaret
Acinipo’s location, some twenty kilometres from
Ronda, is due to a series of deciding factors such
as the strategic value and visual advantage over
nearby terrain, good links to other areas, the
availability of fertile land for farming, and nearby
raw materials such as marble quarries, iron
mines, top quality clay, etc. used in building and
pottery. The Roman town layout can be seen from
the 1st century B.C., the high point being the
magnificent Greek-style theatre built on a land
drop with the cavea cut into the rock. A lot of the
seating, orchestra and stage front in granite
mortarless stone is in a good state-of-repair.
There are remains of what was the forum or
public square in the central area of town, with
other public building relics next to it, such as the
thermal baths, where three pools are preserved,
temples – one having remained standing until the
beginning of the last century, and some
residences, etc. The magnificent site truly serves
to show the city’s major historical development in
the early centuries of the Empire.
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Virgen de la Paz Church
Mondragón Palace
The Mondragón Palace is the present site of the
Ronda and Hill Country Museum and was,
according to legend, inhabited in the 14th century
by King Abd-el-Malik, son of the Sultan of Fez
and, later, by the Nasrid governer Hamed el
Cegrí. After the Christian conquest, it became the
property of Melchor de Mondragón, with
Ferdinand the Catholic staying there when he
arrived in Ronda in 1501 to deal with the Moorish
uprising. It later passed to Fernando de
Valenzuela, a minister of Carlos II. Sucessive
alterations destroyed the most characteristic
Moorish features, although the architecture
continues to be a harmonious example of lines
and shapes. The double sectioned front has
Dorian and Ionic pillars finsihed with a curved
pediment, with a standout elegant composition.
The noble building opens out around three
beautiful interior patios, one being Renaissance.
As the present site for the Ronda and Hill
Country Museum, it is split into four areas
inside: exhibition, research, storage and services.
The top floor houses the exhibition space with
three thematic sections: history and archaeology
including the cave world rooms, Megalithic world,
During the Moorish period, Ronda’s Plaza Mayor
was located in the highest part of the city, an area
known today as Plaza de la Duquesa de
Parcent. The Moors built the main town buildings
here: the citadel, mosque, souk, prison... The
square’s present layout is due to a 19th century
project, later extended and embellished by the
Duchess of Parcent who ordered a garden for the
area from the landscaper behind the Parisien
Bois de Boulogne and the Sevillian María Luisa
Park, Jean Claude Forestier. The park houses the
statue of Ronda musician and writer, Vicente
Espinel (1550-1624).
Santa María de la Encarnación main church
was built over the old Moorish mosque between
the 16th and 18th centuries, thus home to
different architectural styles prevailing in distinct
periods. Part of the mihrab with 13th- and 14thcentury plasterwork is preserved from mosque.
The church was begun in 1508 in late Gothic
style, with the central of the three naves having a
Mudéjar ceiling substituted for semspherical
vaults after the 1580 earthquake. The
Renaissance altar end has seven chapels with
other features finished in a Baroque style. The
walnut and cedar choir dating from the first third
of the 18th century is worth highlighting. The
altarpiece Virgen de los Dolores is attributed to
both Matínez Montañés and Roldana, although
both are excellent religious painters. The main
Gothic façade is practically hidden by a 16thcentury balcony, with the square plan tower being
Mudéjar. Next to the bell tower is the Casita de la
Torre, a somber Mudéjar oratory with closed
horseshoe arches.
Laurel Castle – a 2nd century B.C. fort – was
built in the same square as Santa María de la
Encarnación church, now housing the Sagrado
Corazón Salesian School, on the orders of Scipio
Aemilianus. The Moors made it into a citadel,
which was occupied by Christian and, finally,
French troops at the beginning of the 19th
century, the latter blowing it up before leaving in
1812.
The old 1734 Cuartel de Milicias (Militia
Barracks), the present Town Hall, sits on one
side of the square with a striking arcade on the
upper two floors. To the inside, the Mudéjar
coffered ceiling over the stairs and the assembly
chamber stand out.
Santa María de la Encarnación Church
.
.
126
Ronda
Ronda
Casa del Gigante (House of the Giant)
Our visit continues to the Casa del Gigante, a
Nasrid-era residence perfectly preserved thanks
to the natural alterations undertaken that have
changed a part of the structure. It seems to have
been built in the 14th century, a date given by
some historians due to the similarity with
Alhambra plasterwork done in the reign of
Mohammad V. To the inside are an outstanding
central patio, reservoir, north gallery room and
arabesque motifs on the arches leading to the
bedrooms.
Acinipo monograph, the Roman funerial world,
Ancient Ronda, the Muslim funerial world, the
city’s evolution as a physical and historical space
and nineteenth century Ronda; the ethnography
section brings us closer to the world of cork,
distillery, traditional cheese making, hunting
cuisine and saddle-making; lastly, the natural
environment section covers present protected
areas in the county such as the Natural Parks in
the Sierra de las Nieves, the Alcornocales and
Grazalema. There are lots of objects in each
section allowing us to uncover the city and
county’s historical and natural heritage.
CONVENTION BUREAU
saint statue. Brother Cádiz’ remains are in a silver
urn in an attractive chapel with an extremely
ornate Churrigueresque altar.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Access to Escalona Street is via Plaza Duquesa
de Parcent, leading down to Armiñán Street onto
Imágenes Hill, housing the Espíritu Santo (Holy
Spirit) church built on the spot once occupied by
an Almohad defensive tower that was destroyed
during the seige by Christian troops. Work on the
church finished in 1505, with the exterior standing
out for its sobriety and defensive nature provided
by the buttresses on the high walls. To the inside,
it has a single nave combining Gothic and
Renaissance features, with a Baroque high altar
housing a painting titled La venida del Espíritu
Santo (The Coming of the Holy Spirit) and a
Byzantine-style Virgen de la Antigua.
Walls of the Gate into Almocaíbar
In the southern area of the church is Almocábar
Gate, its name referring to the ancient necropolis
once in the area (al-maqàbir, meaning cemetery).
It was built in the late 18th and early 19th
centuries with an extremely solid structure
flanked by two semicircular towers with three
horseshoe arches in between. The Renaissancestyle Carlos V Gate was installed in 1965 to the
left, carrying the Hapsburg coat-of-arms.
To the other side of the gates is Alameda de San
Francisco, an avenue housing the Madres
Franciscanas (Franciscan Mothers) convent
founded in 1664 and rebuilt in the middle of the
20th century. The convent is reached via the
street of the same name and was built where
Ferdinand the Catholic set up camp. Finished in
the 16th century, the convent includes Gothic and
Mudéjar features and, despite the necessary
alterations due to damage sustained during the
Napoleonic invasion and Civil War, it still retains a
magnificent Isabelline entry.
house underwent in the 17th and 18th centuries.
It has a splendid Baroque stone façade with a
lintelled door, Corithinan columns and a large iron
balcony finished by an uneven pediment housing
clearly Spanish-American inspired naked figures.
The inside is home to the admirable gardens,
chapel, furniture and well curb in the patio.
In Santo Domingo Street, next to the Salvatierra
Palace and convent lending the street its name, is
the Casa del Rey Moro (Moorish King’s Palace),
which gets its name from a tile on the front
showing a Moorish king. The 18th-century
structure is today the result of reforms undertaken
by the Duchess of Parcent at the beginning of the
20th century. The magnificent gardens were also
designed by Jean Claude Forestier.
Albeit off-route, the Joaquín Peinado Museum
located in the refurbished Marquesses of
Moctezuma Palace is worth a mention, in Plaza
del Gigante; it houses around two hundred works
(including oil paintings, watercolours, drawings
and graphic work) by the famous Málaga artist.
Where Armiñán and Marqués de Salvatierra
Streets meet is the standout San Sebastián
minaret, part of a now-disappeared 14th-century
mosque that became a Christian church
dedicated to the saint. The square-plan minaret
has a strong horseshoe arch under a keystone
lintel in the lower section, the rest of the structure
being made from brick with remains of tiles used
for decoration. The upper section was built later
so as to use the structure as a bell tower.
The the east of Ciudad neighbourhood is the
Marquess of Salvatierra Palace, the present
architecture due to the alterations the large old
Minarete de San Nicolás (St. Nicholas Minaret)
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128
Ronda
Ronda
Iglesia del Espíritu Santo (Holy Spirit Church)
Travellers have the chance to visit three very
representative Ronda museums in Armiñán
Street. The Museo del Bandolero (Bandit
Museum) is unique in Spain thanks to its subject
and introduces us to one of the most
characteristic topics generating most literature
about Ronda in the 19th century. The space is
spread over five rooms: romantic travellers, a life
in banditry, men and names, following the scent,
and arms and written testimonies. The Museo de
Caza (Hunting Museum) brings together a
secular tradition from throughout the hill country,
exhibiting a good sample of wild hunting fauna.
Museo Temático Lara, in the Palace of the
Counts of Conquista offers the public a notable
private antique collection, with diverse artistic
pieces being shown across different rooms based
around themes: watches, arms, science,
romance, popular arts, archaeology, knives,
bullfighting and musical instruments.
CONVENTION BUREAU
There are a further two religious buildings lining
the square: Caridad church and Santa Isabel de
los Ángeles convent, both from the 16th century.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Philip V Arch
After Nuevo Bridge was demolished, the Puente
Viejo (Old Bridge) entryway was renewed,
becoming the main transport link between Ciudad
and Mercadillo areas. In this way, the old Puerta
del Puente Gate was replaced by a neoclassical
style one at the end of the 18th century given the
name Arco de Felipe V (Felipe V Arch).
Alongside the archway is the popular Sillón del
Rey Moro (Moorish King’s Seat) with a beautiful
panoramic view.
Real Street is accessed via Puente Viejo, built in
1616 and renovated in 1961, leading to the old
Mercadillo neighbourhood, built outside the city
walls to avoid the high taxes paid by vendors.
Fuente de los Ocho Caños (Fountain of the
Eight Wells)
Ocho Caños fountain is located in Real Street,
built at the same time as Felipe V Arch. It is a
simple, harmonious stone structure with the city’s
coat-of-arms on the pediment. It has two faces,
one with eight jets and the other a drinking
trough. Next to the fountain is the Padre Jesús
church tower with a beautiful Renaissance belfry.
The church was built in the 16th century following
Gothic-Renaissance lines, but the interior
plasterwork decoration is from the 18th century.
Madre de Dios (Mother of God) convent,
attached to the chruch, was also built in the 16th
century following Gothic-Renaissance and
Mudéjar lines.
Ronda
is a curious artistic Baroque work from 1734
housing an altar piece with a painting of the
Virgin. There are four hanged figures on two of
the columns relating to public executions carried
out centuries before.
In Plaza de los Descalzos accessed via Virgen de
los Dolores Street is the 17th-century Santa
Cecilia church, although the striking Baroque
entry is from the 18th. Down Carrera de Espinel
Street is the large neo-Baroque Socorro church,
built after the former eighteenth-century building
was destroyed.
The Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda
(Ronda Royal Cavalry Order), the first to be
founded for noble military and equestrian
training by Felipe II (a training that included
bullfighting festivities), had its first headquarters
in Plaza Mayor until the Bullring was built two
centuries later based on a project by Martín de
Aldehuela, who also designed Nuevo Bridge.
The neoclassical front has two standout Tuscan
columns supporting a split pediment bearing the
royal seal, framed by a stylised iron balcony
adorned with bullfighting features. Seating
capicity is five thousand and it has the added
Iglesia de Santa Cecilia (St. Cecilia's Church)
Ronda Bullring
sepciality of being totally under cover: one
hundred and thirty six Tuscan columns support a
double arcade. Another special feature is the
stone barrier. The bullring was opened in 1875
with a programme including Pedro Romero and
Pepe Hillo, two authentic legends.
The Bullfighting Museum is located on the
ground floor and provides clear straightfoward
information about the Real Maestranza de
Caballería de Ronda, as well as a good run
through bullfighting history based on the
following themes: chivalric bullfighting, bulls in
universal culture, popular bullfighting, modern
tauromachy and Ronda bullfighting dynasties.
The exhibition space also has a magnificent
selection of publications, oil paintings, prints,
costumes, bullfighting instruments, photographs,
etc.
Right next door to the Bullring are Blas Infante
gardens, where the original Espinel Theatre was
located years ago, the headquarters for the 1918
Andalusian Congress. This green space spreads
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130
Ronda
Going from here down Santa Cecilia Street, we
get to the small Virgen de los Dolores church,
on the corner of the street with the same name. It
CONVENTION BUREAU
A sixty metre staircase carved into the rock
connects the gardens with Mina Spring, whose
waters run into the River Guadalevín and which
Moors took great advantage of, bearing in mind
the lack of water in the city due to its elevation.
This Arab work was extrmely important during the
seige of Ronda by Christian troops.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Museo Taurino (Bull Museum)
Reina Victoria Hotel was built by a pioneer of
British tourism, Lord Farrington, in 1906 and is
located here. The Austrian poet Rilke stayed here
between 1911 and 1912, with the room
preserving the original furniture and some
photographs and letters the poet dedicated to
Ronda.
Around two kilometres from the town centre is the
Mozarab Virgen de la Cabeza monastry, built in
the 9th and 10th centuries by Christians in the
Moorish era. The ensemble includes residencs
for monks, cells for a small community and a
church hewn in the rock. The simple church has
three naves, the main one with an altar at the
end, the second also with an altar and an opening
to the crypt at the feet, and a third acting as a
vestry.
Arabic baths
The Arab Baths are located in the old Jewish
quarter and were built in the late 13th and early
14th centuries. Despite the extraordinary
architecture, they were abandoned, as Christian
morals were against the practice; floods on the
River Guadalevín finally hid them. The first
remains appeared with the Duchess of Parcent
ordering the building of gardens in the area, but it
wasn’t until 1935 that the site was acquired and
restored by the State. Excavations to date have
meant three bathing rooms (cold, warm and hot)
covered by barrel vaults and linked by Roman
arches have been reclaimed. The vaults are
perforated with star-shaped skylights filetering the
light and creating perfect opaque lighting for rest
inside. Part of the boilers and water channelling
systems have been preserved, with experts
agreeing it is one of the best conserved bath sites
in Spain.
Many people have put Ronda on the map but
making a mere note for each would go beyond
this small guide. However, it is impossible to
leave out some for what they have done on a
domestic and international level.
The first Ronda bullfighting dynasty, who finally
set up a school, begins with Pedro Romero
(1754-1839), son and grandson of bullfighters
and inventor of the muleta (matador’s stick).
Legend has it he was never injured in a fight,
surprising since he killed over five thousand bulls.
Once retired, he was named head of the Seville
Tauromachy School by Fernando VII, with the
famous Goyesque fight in Ronda celebrated in
his honour since the mid-20th century.
The second Ronda matador dynasty begins in the
20th century with Cayetano Ordóñez, Niño de la
Palma (‘Boy of La Palma’) (1904-1961). Five of
his children were bullfighters, although the most
renowned was Antonio Ordóñez, one of whose
most outstanding rivals was his brother-in-law,
Luis Miguel Dominguín. For many years, both
were top figures in Spanish bullfighting with
Antonio Ordóñez’ art and charisma attracting
celebrities such as Orson Welles and Ernest
Hemingway to Ronda.
Statue of Pedro Romero
string to the Spanish guitar. As a poet he created
the décima or espinela (a ten-line stanza) which,
for some, is the most complete verse in Spanish
arte menor (octosyllabic) poetry. He wrote Vida
del escudero Marcos de Obregón (Life of Squire
Marcos de Obregón), a picaresque novel seen as
one of the best from the Golden Age. The book
includes autobiographical data and several
references to Ronda.
.
.
From a different time and setting is Vicente
Espinel (1550-1634), a teacher, musician, priest
and soldier. He is attributed with adding the fifth
Those not born in Ronda but having passed
through the city leaving their mark are
innumerable: from ancient Pliny and Ptolemy to
contemporary celebrities, although it was the
Romantic travellers who made Ronda known
throughout Europe in the 19th century. Carter,
Richard Ford, Merimée, Gautier, Doré, Lorca,
Alberti, Hemingway and Rilke, amongst others,
were seduced by the beautiful mountain country
and contributed to expand and promote the city’s
beauty, legends and myths around the world
through their works.
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Ronda
Ronda
Within the Ronda municipality there are important
heritage sites, Arab baths and ruins of an ancient
Acinipo town.
CONVENTION BUREAU
out along an esplanade bordering the plateau
where Ronda perches two hundred metres above
the Guadalevín Valley, with unbeatable views
over a large area of Ronda region. The
esplanade continues on Alameda del Tajo, where
the 16th-17th century Merced church is situated,
housing the incorrupt arm of Santa Teresa de
Jesús.
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RONDA WINE MUSEUM
Address: C/ González Campos, 2
29400 Ronda
Tel.: (+34) 952 879 735
Fax: (+34) 944 359 039
Email: [email protected] /
[email protected]
Website: www.bodegaslasangrederonda.es /
www.museodelvinoderonda.com
Ronda Wine Museum.
LA SANGRE DE RONDA WINERY
AND RONDA WINE MUSEUM
Ronda Wine Museum.
LA SANGRE DE RONDA WINES AND WINERY
La Sangre de Ronda makes wines looking to the
future, while respecting the environment and keeping traditional know-how. This combination
translates into careful farm work in the vineyards
and excellent follow-up in cellars, merging ancient techniques with state-of-the-art technology.
The wines combine traditional elegance with the
taste of New World fruit. Their concentration and
expression reflect each of Ronda's varieties to
perfection.
ces and oenological knowledge, as well as the
rich cultural and historical wine heritage accumulated over the centuries.
Specialised courses and guided tasting sessions.
Flexible programmes and schedules for visitors to
join in at any time.
Located in the historic district, in a one-thousandyear-old palace, the Old Winery has become an
interesting 1,000 sqm museum. Divided into twelve themed rooms, it goes over the history and culture of wine, a product associated to mythology
and religion, present in most societies throughout
the centuries, and requiring a series of careful
field and cellar tasks in its making.
WINE TOURISM AND ECOTOURISM, VINEYARD
AND CELLAR ACTIVITIES "IN THE FIELD"
Vineyard tours in the sierras, visits to winery facilities, wine-making techniques. Grape vine pruning, harvesting, grape mashing, decanting and
bottling. Visitors can engage in these traditional
activities. Families or groups of friends can learn
a lot about grapes and wine while taking part in
amazing field activities.
The museum, which is open to both experts and
laymen, organises multiple wine-related activities
intended to probe into its history, culture, and artful making.
WINE TASTING SCHOOL, WINE WORKSHOPS,
AND OENOLOGY
All-level courses to reveal the secrets of wine or
deepen your knowledge about the sacred nectar.
WINE SHOP
A charming place where wine lovers will find the
winery's products -ready to go in practical casesand all the accessories they might need to open,
serve, drink, or keep their wines: bottle racks,
corkscrews, thermometers, decanters, glasses,
and many other things that will help you make the
most of your wines. All the items available in this
wine shop can be shipped to the buyer's home or
as gifts wherever they tell us.
MUSEUM ACTIVITIES
.
.
134
Ronda Wine Museum.
RONDA WINE MUSEUM
The Ronda Wine Museum is closely linked to the
history of La Sangre de Ronda. The museum was
created out of sheer love of wine, and it's faithful
to the winery's philosophy. It's aimed at researching into and disseminating vine-growing practi-
Ronda
Ronda
At the winery, you can take a tour of the facilities,
which are open to the public. In fact, La Sangre
de Ronda has a wine travel department whose
specialised staff will guide you through the facilities of the old winery, which has recently been turned into a museum.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Both banks on the River Guadalcobacín house
caves where polished stone axes have been
found, evidence of prehistoric human presence in
the area explained by the setting with an abundance of water, gentle geography and proximity
to sierras and forests that were good for hunting
and initial farming activity of primitive man.
Statue of Antonio Ordoñez, bullfighter
Historical documents about the area are scarce,
the first event being Arriate Battle in 1407, when
the Cañete la Real governor came to the help of
nearby Setenil under threat from the Moors, leaving his son in charge of the fort. The Moors used
the occasion and attacked Cañete, killing the son.
In revenge, Hernando de Arias set up an ambush
for Arab troops in Arriate municipality.
The Moorish origins of the town are clear, even
the name Arriate coming from Arriadh, meaning
orchards, in seeming reference to a farmstead in
the area. It was not until 1630, however, when the
town separated from Ronda and became independent, having to pay three hundred and fiftytwo thousand six hundred and thirty-nine reales
for the privilege.
CONVENTION BUREAU
ARRIATE
The Spanish Civil War had disastrous consequences for Arriate church, being stormed and
suffering major damage to the high altarpiece and
organ. The old renowned images paraded in Holy
Week ran the same fate. The church was restored
in the second half of the 20th century with the
narrow bell tower dating from this time which,
despite its recent construction, has become the
monument most identified with the hill town.
Arriate has a modest pretty chapel of Santísimo
Cristo de la Sangre (Christ of the Blood) housing
statues and tools the Brotherhood parades every
Holy Week. The whitewash façade is crowned by
a pretty belfry.
Another important structure is the Marquesses of
Moctezuma Palace, an old family home the
marquesses donated to the founder of San José
Brotherhood. The rooms run off a courtyard and,
at present, it is a residential home.
Virgen de la Aurora de Arriate Plaza
Arriate
San Juan de Letrán (St. John Lateran) church
is the most noteworthy building in town. The scarce information on the church contrasts with a very
precise reference to the Mudéjar carpentry on the
roof, carried out by Francisco Hernández and
Andrés Valverde in 1629.
San Juan de Letrán Church
.
.
136
Ronda
Ronda
Arriate is a town of two-storey whitewashed houses with closed or walled back patios preserving
the true flavour of traditional architecture. Only
the bold pots hanging from balconies dare interrupt the immaculate calm of the façades, showing us the intense vitality behind the plain walls
through colour and aroma.
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TOURIST BOARD &
CONVENTION BUREAU
Bermeja and Oreganal Sierras are the towns making
up the so-called Alto Genal: Igualeja, Pujerra,
Parauta, Cartajima, Júzcar, Faraján and Alpandeire.
The municipalities making up the so-called Genal Valley on the hillsides are: Atajate, Benadalid,
Benalauría, Algatocín, Jubrique, Genalguacil, Benarrabá and Gaucín. Facing these on part of the
Since the continuous steep slopes marking out the
valley do not unite but separate inhabitants, the
t
Parauta
138
.
.
San Antonio de Padua en Alpandeire Church
The Moors and Christians Route
The mountain range splitting the
Genal and Guadiaro valleys
changes name in each part of the
sierra, according to the municipality:
from Encinas Borrachas, following the
Conio or Castillejos Sierra, Tajos de Benadalid
and Algatocín and finishing in Hacho de Gaucín.
Facing this false mountain range are two sierras housing
eight Genal Valley municipalities, the Oreganal and Sierra Bermejas on the hillsides, the latter facing the
Mediterranean. On the highest peaks are the limestone rocks, giving way to clay and slate ground going
down the valley, making it a land of crops and orchards with abundant fruit trees mixed in with the
chestnut, holm oak and cork woods. As well as the centres, Aleppo pines to the ancient strange firs –
an ecological relic – can be seen back on the peaks, alongside a small clump of Spanish firs in Reales
de Sierra Bermeja.
The River Genal has been bloodstained many
times in the past due to the Moors and Christians’
conflicts, although there was a time when both
lived in peace on the banks. The Muslim conquest
in the 7th century spilt hardly any blood, gaining
the trust of the primitive Visigoth inhabitants, who
remained living in the area. Many finally converted
to Islam, helped or convinced by the tax
advantages, and in this way mixed with the people
of the valley. After eight centuries of different
cultures and creeds living together, everything
changed at the beginning of the Christian
conquest in the south of the mainland – large
expulsions, battles, revolts and riots spoiling the
area’s common pacifist history. Contrary to other
areas, most of the Muslim population remained,
converting to the new faith with even a Christian
Saint, Fray Leopoldo de Alpandeire, coming from
these lands years later. The lands in the Genal
Valley are both of Moors and Christians, with
customs and traditions that, despite history,
remained fruitful oases of peace for inhabitants
and visitors.
9. HE MOORS AND
CHRISTIANS ROUTE
TUhne pM
a soeoor spaonr d" MCáhlrai sgtai alnas BReol ul at e"
The River
Genal Valley is
made up of fifteen
municipalities
spread over the
surrounding
sierras on either
side, from the
beginnings
in
Igualeja till the basin
in the Campo de
Gibraltar where it links
as the main tributary to its
mountain twin the River
Guadiaro.
Alto Genal and Genal Valley have been the most
isolated inhabited settlement in the entire hill
country due to the difficult terrain. Throughout
history, there have been major peculiarities such
as scant Romanisation (in comparison to
Guadiaro Valley), the duration of the Moorish
population until the 17th century and the
subsequent deep-rootedness of Andalusian
traditions more so than in any other place in the hill
country; as well as being the perfect place for
bandits and guerrillas, muleteers and smugglers.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Igualeja
Taking advantage of the natural division in the
area, there are two areas – Alto Genal and Genal
Valley – leading us to propose two different routes
over two days. Beginning in the Alto Genal: this
section leaves from Ronda on the A-376 road.
Around eight kilometres down is a service area
with the first turn-off towards the towns of
Parauta, Cartajima, Júzcar, Faraján and
Alpandeire shown as the Fray Leopoldo legacy
route. Go past this route as we shall come back
to it later, instead taking the MA-526 turning half
a kilometre further taking us to Igualeja and
Pujerra, the first Alto Genal route section. From
Igualeja, take the same road, now called MA-527,
for two kilometres until getting to Pujerra – the
land of chestnuts. Afterwards, we go back over
the same route until the first crossroads at the
service area and start the section of the Alto
Genal route taking us to Parauta on the MA-525,
accessed via the MA-519, a three kilometre
section we must also redo after finishing the
town, to continue once again on the MA-525 until
getting to Cartajima. From there, take the same
road along the MA-518 section until Júzcar, the
MA-517 section to Faraján and the MA-516
section to Alpandeire.
Finishing Alto Genal, we go on to the Genal
Valley municipalities: Atajate, Benadalid,
Benalauría, Algatocín, Jubrique, Genalguacil,
IGUALEJA
There is no present archaeological or
documentary evidence of prehistoric or other
earlier civilisations’ presence before the Moors
in the municipality, leading historians to
conclude the first settlements in the area arose
from the 8th century on. After the Christian
conquest, what is now Igualeja municipality fell
under Ronda jurisdiction as an Estate of the
Infante Juan. Once the prince died, the lands
passed to his widow and, later, returned to the
Crown until becoming independent.
Igualeja town network is crossed by the River
Genal in a channelled ravine with very steep
hillsides. On the right bank is Alto
Santa Rosa de Lima Church
neighbourhood with its very steep winding
streets; Albaicín neighbourhood is on the left –
a much flatter area housing a church, the main
square and the best village houses, some from
the 18th century. Both neighbourhoods are
linked by a single-span bridge which is
generally missed by those not knowing the
area.
The 16th-century Santa Rosa de Lima church
sits on a former mosque, the minaret being
reused. It was altered in the 17th and 18th
centuries and finally remodelled in the 20th,
meaning only the rectangular-plan minaret is
original. Used as a bell tower, on the last
section it has four Roman arches housing the
bells and is finished by a small hip roof.
Some images with certain artistic value are
housed insid, such as a Saint Anthony in
polychromed wood belonging to the 17thcentury Granada school as well as 18thcentury Saint Gregory, Baby Jesus and a
Crucifixion scene.
.
.
140
RECOMMENDED TRIP:
Benarraba and Gaucín. Carry on after the Alto
Genal section from Alpandeire along the MA-515
until getting to the A-369 crossover and headin in
the Atajate direction; or, from Ronda along the A369 towards Algeciras, getting to Atajate after
eighteen kilometres. From there, carry on down
the A-369 to Benadalid and from here, to the
crossroads heading to Benalauría along the MA535, a return section to once again head to
Algatocín on the same A-369 – the main road on
the Genal Valley route. From here, take the MA536 and MA-537 roads heading to Jubrique and
Genalguacil respectively. There are two options
at this spot: if you have an all-terrain or mixed
vehicle, you may continue to Benarrabá via a
forest track and old winding roads linking with
Genalguacil; if not, you may go over the same
route until returning to Algatocín and heading
down the A-369 in the Benarrabá direction, where
we get to after taking the MA-538 turning that
ends in the town itself. Once again,
take
the A-369 to Gaucín, last stop on our trip through
the Genal River area.
CONVENTION BUREAU
isolated towns perched on the cliff sides at the
foot, where the riverbed lies, have been ancient
rivals at times. In summary, an incredible natural
setting leads visitors to the lands on a journey
through time, not only thanks to its architectural
and museum heritage but also to its important
ethnographic heritage running, like the river,
through the towns, sierras and meanders.
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PUJERRA
Chestnut tree forest in Pujerra
According to the researcher Vázquez Otero, late
Roman Bracari bricks have been found on some
Pujerra house façades with a Christogram
inscription flanked by the letters alpha and
omega. This Christian symbol makes reference
to the gospel phrase: ego sum alpha et omega,
meaning, ‘I am the beginning and the end’, and
would prove the presence of Christians in the hill
country from the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D.
There also exists a legend that Wanda was a
local Gothic king although, at present, no
Visigoth remains have been found proving this
theory in any way.
Iglesia del Espíritu Santo (Church of the Holy
Spirit)
There are some documentary references to a
Moorish town – Bentomí or Benatamín – that,
despite having an unknown exact location,
would be in the present Pujerra area, having
disappeared in the Christian conquest. Another
similar lost village, Cenay, is placed by some in
the ruins of the old Molino de Capilla mill. There
is no doubt as to the Moorish origins of Pujerra
town centre, seen in the structure and layout
with winding zigzag streets leading to a central
square, where the church and some 18thcentury houses are located. This centre is
formed like an almost perfect circle, the centre
being the oldest part and preserving all its
Moorish charm.
There were mineral (iron and asbestos)
operations in the 18th century in the area,
remaining well into the 19th century, with Pujerra
playing an important role in the fight against the
Napoleonic invasion which led Fernando VII to
award it a town charter in 1814.
Undoubtedly, the most outstanding building in the
area is the small simple 16th-century Espíritu
Santo church with its single nave and Mudéjar
frame. To the inside are three 18th-century
polychrome wooden figures: Our Lady with the
Child Jesus, Saint Anthony of Padua, the patron
saint, and a Baby Jesus. The church has a
Roman arched side entrance on stone
pendentives and is finished with a Baroque 18thcentury belfry which, perhaps, fails to fit with the
otherwise Renaissance-Mudéjar style.
PARAUTA
There were two inhabited centres in the area
now belonging to Parauta municipality, Parauta
itself and another called Benahazín, located near
Cartajima and which disappeared after the
Christian conquest (16th century). Lack of
historical documentation about this village
means everything is conjecture, some more
solid, such as that stating it was founded by
Moors – about which there are few arguments on
noting the layout of the streets – than other, such
as the Muladi leader Umar ibn Hafsun being born
here and generally considered a less probable
theory.
Parauta
.
.
Parauta centre is clearly Moorish with somewhat
irregular and disordered streets alongside the
particularity of some house façades having a
direct whitewash, lacking any coating, which
provides them with a rustic air noted by visitors.
There are two separate areas linked by a square.
In the more northern area is the 16th-century
Purísima Concepción (Conception of Mary
Most Pure) church, although it underwent
alterations and later extensions. It has a Latin
cross design with a wooden roof over the transept
and flat roofs in the wings and main nave. The
very simple exterior has a Gothic-Mudéjar style
entry, with the adjacent Mudéjar tower housing
Roman arches on the bell section and a hip roof
finish. The Dolorosa (Madonna) statue to the
inside should be seen, an imagen de vestir (a
statue designed to be dressed) from the 18thcentury Seville school, and a polychrome wood
sculpture of Saint Pascual Baylon, a copy of an
original Pedro de Mena made by Adrián
Risueño.
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Ermita del Divino Pastor (Holy Pastor's
Hermitage)
CONVENTION BUREAU
In a street near the square is a small 18thcentury chapel dedicated to the Divine
Shepherd. The irregular design is covered by a
hemispherical oval vault with two side
recesses. The façade has a Roman arch
framed by marble Tuscan columns supporting
a small entablature with a trefoil oculus and
double Roman arch belfry atop finishing the gable
end.
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CARTAJIMA
Iglesia de la Purísima Concepción (Church of
the Immaculate Conception)
Thanks to the archaeological settlements in the
area, lots of the town’s history may be put
together. In this way, for example, Roman
presence in the area is seen at the thermal baths
found in Cañada de Harife and the cemetery at
Cortijo del Ratón. There are also references to
and relics from a mediaeval castle and ancient
Moorish towns of Casapalma and Cartabón.
The town’s layout with narrow winding streets is
markedly Moorish, with a noble touch thanks to
the many Ronda-influenced 18th century
façades.
Cartajima
The most standout building is the 16th-century
Nuestra Señora del Rosario parish church,
although it has undergone many considerable
alterations, the last mid-20th century under the
instructions of architect Guerrero-Strachan. Even
though the church was designed with three
naves, there is presently only one, covered with
reinforcements. To the inside are some 18th- and
19th-century figures such as the 18th-century
imagen de vestir in the High Altar vaulted niche
representing the Virgen del Rosario, to whom the
parish is dedicated. Entry to the church is via the
end of the main nave through a bricked front with
a split pediment housing a rectangular span
framed by pendentives and cornice. The squareplan tower has three separate sections with slim
imposts; on the last bell section are Roman
arches to the four sides, finished with a small hip
roof.
JÚZCAR
The origins of the town are somewhat confused
since some researchers relate its foundation with
the Roman mining operations although, at
present, there are no archaeological relics
endorsing the theory. The existence of a Moorish
settlement in the area called Moclón, though, has
been verified, being empty since the 17th century.
The foundations of the church where, legend
states, the Virgin – Nuestra Señora de Moclón –
appeared to a local shepherd may still be seen.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario parish Church
Júzcar fell to the Christians in 1485 and, from this
date, Moors were subject to very strict rules; as is
widely known, they revolted in 1570 which led to
their expulsion in 1609.
Tajarillo, a unique bandit-like figure, appeared
around this date, refusing to leave, fleeing to the
sierra and never stopping his banditry. Only the
legend and a place named Paso de Tarajillo
remain, near a cabin where, it is said, he died.
Curiously, Júzcar industrialised early, with
construction on the first tin factory in Spain
beginning in 1726; production started in 1731 with
no less than a two hundred-strong workforce. The
factory was opened with the pompous name of
Júzcar
.
.
144
Fernando VII awarded it town status in 1814,
although it wasn’t until the 19th century when
Cartajima experienced notable economic
development thanks to the now abandoned iron
mining operations. A small mainly canon factory
was set up at this time in the neighbouring area of
Júzcar, boosting the town’s economy.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Visitors should take a curious stroll around the
countryside, discovering the Escalereta
Spanish fir, declared a Natural Monument by
the Junta de Andalucía, and the large Valdecilla
holm oak some call ‘the mother of all oaks’. It is
a unique example of its species and cited in
several botanical publications, being over twenty
metres high and three metres in diameter.
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The town’s layout is very peculiar, being split over
three areas – Alto, Fuente and Ereta. The sudden
land inclines have led to ingenious solutions so
as to soften the particular lay of the land, giving
the town a beyond-picturesque originality. It is
thus not so curious to see some streets with
houses on only one side.
Santa Catalina Church
The town’s most outstanding building is 16thcentury Santa Catalina church, although it was
later renovated. It has a single rectangular nave
which was covered by a Mudéjar roof although, at
present, it is covered by the roof built after the
Civil War. It also houses Baby Jesus and
Madonna figures from the 18th-century Seville
school.
At the foot of the church, to the outside, is the
outstanding Roman arch entry between
pendentives and an entablature; alongside is the
rectangular-plan, three-section tower with Roman
arches housing the bells, topped with a small hip
roof. The original Torrichela tower was one of the
most original in Genal Valley, but was completely
destroyed by an earthquake in 1650.
FARAJÁN
Although older remains have appeared in the
area, the town’s origins are in the Moorish period
thanks to the farmsteads in Balástar, Chúcar,
Castillejo and Cenajen housing Maghrebi tribes
and, apparently, Jewish and Christian prisoners.
Once Ronda had been taken by Christian troops,
the farmsteads were abandoned with the
inhabitants moving to Faraján, this settlement –
answering to Ronda as crown lands – being
established. After the 16th-century Moorish
expulsion, Faraján was also abandoned,
resorting to people from other areas for
repopulation.
With the proverbial fearlessness nearly all Ronda
hill towns fought the Napoleonic invasion, in the
case of Faraján King Fernando VII awarded a
Royal Town Charter in 1814 in recognition of the
fact with a document underlining ‘in thanks for the
perseverance, loyalty and sacrifices borne during
the War of Independence against the French’.
Faraján
town’s nerve centre – where most streets end. In
one of the corners is the early 16th-century
Virgen del Rosario parish church, restored in
the 18th century and once again in the mid-20th.
It is a simple, single-nave, flat roof building with
plasterwork ornamentation at the Epistle side.
There is a brick tower contrasting with the white
façade, having three sections, the upper two with
Roman arches between pendentives to all sides,
finished by a bulging spire.
In the area known as Las Chorreras, not far from
the centre, Arroyo Balástar forms two alomost
fifty metre spectacular waterfalls. Remains of an
old Moorish mill and part of the irrigation system
used at the time may be seen alongside.
.
.
On a stroll around the town centre, visitors
discover one of the few Málaga towns located on
a gentle, almost flat, hilltop. The Moorish street
layout is organised around a central square – the
146
Júzcar’s wealth in the 18th century is confirmed
by the fact that in 1752 there were eight working
millstones in the area, continuing to do so until
1841, and two leather tanneries. It is not strange,
therefore, that other villages such as Faraján
were attached to Júzcar at the end of the 19th
century.
CONVENTION BUREAU
‘The Never-Before-Seen in Spain Royal Tin
Factory and By-Products, in the Reign of the
Unvanquished Catholic Monarchs Felipe V and
Isabella Farnese’. As the tin manufacturing
process was unknown in Spain at the time, some
thirty German specialists led by two Swiss
engineers, Pedro Mentón and Emérito
Dupasquier, arrived in town. It seems the factory
stopped working during the War of
Independence, but a piece of the first tin sheet
produced is held in the General Archive of
Simancas. Today, only the remains of this
unequalled building are left. The sober entry with
pendentives and cornice reflect the 18th century
era, whilst the back part houses an arch, which
must have been the entry to a small chapel. The
exterior looks more like a convent than an active
factory and the interior, covered in vegetation,
houses a certain decadent romantic style.
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harmonious exterior façade, having been
refurbished in 1968.
At the top of Arroyo de Audázar, in the areas
known as Encinas Borrachas, Montero and
Mimbre, Megalithic funeral monuments
evidencing prehistoric habitation have been
found. The large irregular stone structures mark
out and cover individual or collective graves of
the most important clan or tribe members.
Vázquez Otero states there are relics of a
mediaeval fortress on Castillejos Hill. However,
they are more likely to be from two Moorish
settlements: Pospitara, two kilometres to the
southeast of Alpandeire and Güidazara or
Audázar, near Atajate. The foundations of some
homes and water channels are still visible here.
Virgen del Rosario Church Belltower
According to documents found, Alpandeire was
founded in 711, one of the first Muslim
settlements in Serranía de Ronda. After the
Christian conquest and later Moorish expulsion,
there was a major population decline, leading
Felipe II to decree the area be repopulated as
soon as possible. Thanks to this, twenty-two
new inhabitants arrived in the area, receiving
lands and new houses.
Alpandeire
The most outstanding building in the area is San
Antonio de Padua church in the town centre.
Visitors immediately notice its large size, leading
to it popularly and warmly being known as ‘Hill
Cathedral’. It is indeed a large structure started
in the 16th century on the orders of Diego de
Deza, Archbishop of Seville, although the
present building is the result of an 18th-century
rebuilding. The basilic plan structure has three
naves covered by cross vaults and a transept
crowned by a dome. The chancel wall houses a
square chapel covered by a hemispherical vault.
Two strong octagonal belfries balance the
To the inside, the church has a speckled marble
font and some 18th-century figures such as
Saint Roch, patron saint of Alpandeire, and a
Baby Jesus. There is a cemetery in the
basement where, according to local legend,
‘embalmed or intact bodies’ have appeared.
What is true is that there are two very well
preserved mummies in the crypt, apparently
belonging to a couple who donated to its
construction.
Other outstanding buildings in the town centre
are: the old 17th-century granary which, after
different uses (warehouse, jail, etc.), is today a
marvellous cultural centre where young locals
meet and the birthplace museum of Fray
Leopoldo, with the characteristic features of
popular hill country architecture. Its interest lies
in it being the birthplace of a person known
outside local borders for his charity work and
miracle fame. Both his tomb in Granada and this
house have become much visited monuments.
The town has dedicated a statue to the future
saint (he is presently being beatified) in the area
known as El Cerrajón.
ATAJATE
Many Neolithic and Chalcolithic polished stone axes
have been found in the area, specifically in the Tajos
fissure. The discovery of Roman ceramics and coins
further show that the area was inhabited in the
distant past. It is, however, the Visigothic and Muslim
cemeteries found in the Puerto Jimera, Montecillo,
Llano and Huerta Nueva areas that have yielded
greater knowledge on ancient cultures living in the
locality.
San Antonio de Padua Church
.
.
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Virgen del Rosario Church
CONVENTION BUREAU
ALPANDEIRE
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The original church floor, located in the present
cemetery, is from the Christian era with just the main
walls and Renaissance-style entry still preserved.
Birthplace of Friar Leopold
19th-century San Roque parish church had to
be rebuilt and reopened in 1965 after the Civil
War. It is a simple, harmonious structure with
three naves separated by Roman arches resting
on pillars. The central and broadest nave is
covered by a quadrant vault, whilst the side aisles
have cross vaults. The transept has a
hemispherical dome and the façade is finished in
a discreet Baroque style. The square-plan, foursection tower stands out, with the last octagonal
section finished by a small pyramidal roof
decorated in ceramics.
The old Benadalid fortress or castle is located
outside the town centre. Some writers have
spoken of its Roman origins whilst others date its
construction between the 13th and 14th
centuries, supporting Moorish origins. A third
group of researchers have stated it is a Christian
structure, based on texts held where the Lord of
Benadalid, the Duke of Feria, asked the Catholic
Monarchs to build a fort, apparently taking
advantage of the former emplacement and faces.
Whatever its origins, it has a square plan
preserving some cylindrical towers and an
underground basin. The present town cemetery is
inside the complex.
San Isidoro Church. Benadalid
Visitors are recommended to not leave Benadalid
before seeing the beautiful 18th-century
fountain and sipping its fresh mountain water
Near Moro farmhouse, next to Arroyo de las
Bovedillas, are the remains of a recently
excavated Roman columbarium. There are signs
it is not the only evidence of Roman presence in
the area, a logical proposition since the Roman
road from Vesci to Arunda crossed through the
terrain.
The labyrinth of streets go up and down steep
slopes with blinding white houses, some with
seals and Baroque façades, weaving a distinctly
Moorish town centre.
.
Atajate
Index
The year 715 has, however, been deemed as
when Moors founded the town, specifically the
Berber tribe Ben Al Auría (child or children of
Auría), a name given unchanged to the town. The
first irrigation plots in the area also have origins in
the period, taking advantage of the abundant
springs.
San Roque Church
.
150
BENALAURÍA
The oldest documents referring to this area date
back to the 8th century, where the Berber tribe
Banu Jalid is mentioned – the name points to Ben
Adalid (children of Jalid) – which inhabited the
area.
BENADALID
The main square houses the 18th-century San
Isidoro (St. Isidore) church, built over the
foundations of the original 16th-century church. It
has three flat-roofed naves with the chancel
housing an oval vault and a square-plan, singlesection tower. The parish house is next to the
tower.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Santa Cruz tower is a highlight from the Islamic era,
with just a few remains in the pine forest located a
couple of kilometres to the southeast of the town
centre.
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The area experienced notable economic take-off
with vines, cereals and olives throughout the 18th
century, tripling the number of inhabitants. This
bonanza may be seen today in the buildings from
the era, such as the Town Hall, the parish church
and some civil structures.
The initiative of young townsfolk is surprising
who, far from wanting to abandon the place and
emigrate in search of work in coastal towns, have
made it one of the best tourist centres in the area,
without altering the place at all and with a total
respect for the environment. In this way,
alongside the Museum opening, artisan
cooperatives have been set up via workshops (for
woodwork, dried flowers, jams and marmalades
from the rich natural product in the area:
chestnuts, cherries, etc.), as well as a shop
selling local produce: oil, cheese, chestnuts, etc.
The cooperative also owns the Mesón La
Molienda inn, described in guidebooks as a
‘charming spot’ to enjoy top class cuisine.
The 18th-century Town Hall is one of the most
interesting buildings in Benalauría. The rustic
brick and Ronda style ironwork standout on the
porched façade. As well as the sober vantage
point out over Genal Valley, El Lagar is facing –
an old building where grapes were pressed in the
past and which is, today, the home of artisan
groups.
The 19th-century Santo Domingo de Guzmán
parish church built over a former 16th-century
church is also worth a visit. It has three naves, a
level altar end and elevated choir at the feet. The
hemispherical vault on a denticulate ring hanging
over the transept is a highlight. The transept
wings and chancel are covered by barrel vaults,
whilst the naves have a coffered ceiling. The
entry opens out into the centre of the Gospel
nave with a Roman arch between pendentives
and an entablature. There is a square-plan tower
with spans on two sides and covered by a hip
roof.
Santo Domingo de Guzmán Church
The Ethnography Museum is at the end Alta
Street, located in an old 1750 oil mill. The
impressive mill is a highlight inside, as are the
The daily bread, almond and iced cakes from the
old wood stove made by the expert baker are also
excellent, with the family continuing the tradition
through the generations.
Benalauría and the hospitable locals are
undoubtedly one of Genal’s jewels.
ALGATOCÍN
Mesón La Molienda (La Molienda Restaurant)
making an amalgam of simple, spotless
whitewash houses with some standout 18thcentury porticoed structures bearing noble
crests.
Documents show the Al Atusiyin Berber tribe
settled in the area. Legend has it that the place
name comes from that of Princess Algotisa,
daughter of Abolemia, the second Moorish
king of Ronda. The town’s consolidation,
however, didn’t come about until the Christian
arrival.
The 16th-century Virgen del Rosario parish
church is the most important building in
Algatocín, although it has undergone several
alterations and changes in later centuries.
There are three naves inside, the central one
.
.
Human habitation in the area seems to date
back to Roman times, as seen in some
remains found in the municipality in a nearby
spot known as Cerrogordo. The town centre is
undoubtedly Moorish however. The narrow
winding streets slope to even out the inclines,
152
millstones and chute. The building itself is a jewel
of popular architecture also housing a liquor mill
or distillery. The museum’s collection has also
benefited from many traditional now unused tools
such as tables for making cheese, slaughter
hooks, weights and scales, liquid and grain
measures, forks, threshing tools, wickerwork,
presses, etc.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Benalauría
Conquered by Christian troops towards 1485, the
Catholic Monarchs handed the land to the Count
of Feria who, in turn, sold them to the Duke of
Alcalá. After the Moorish expulsion in 1570, the
Duke brought people from his other fiefdoms –
seemingly from Coronil – to repopulate. It would
later pass to the House of Medinaceli which, plot
by plot, sold up to local inhabitants.
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Algatocín
Lastly, a trip to the Calvario chapel in the high
part of the village is worthwhile, thanks to the
location rather than the architecture, serving
as it does as a vantage point over
neighbouring Alpandeire and Faraján, as well
as providing a spectacular panoramic view of
Serranía de Ronda.
Before leaving Algatocín, it is worth visiting
San Antonio fountain, a beautiful 17thcentury work quenching visitors’ thirst with
fresh mountain water before they head out
again on the road.
JUBRIQUE
The municipality was made up by the union of
four Moorish towns: Rotillas, Monarda,
Benamedá and Jubrique. This was duly
testified in the surrender to the Catholic
Monarchs, confirming they were Muslim
settlements, inhabited by Moors until the late
16th and early 17th century. Remains of walls
and former foundations may still be seen of
the churches, formerly mosques.
There are no relics from other cultures, except
some Roman coins, nothing to make us
Jubrique attained its greatest splendour in the mid19th century as a direct result of income from
vineyards, derived industries and mining operations
in the sierras. Wine-growing traditions continued
until well into the 20th century in Jubrique.
Jubrique town centre has clear features from
typical hill towns where limestone is king and the
streets are a small warren. Once again, popular
architecture is testament to the ability to meet the
many challenges of the irregular landscape.
The town’s major building is 16th century San
Francisco de Asís parish church, although it
has undergone some alterations, the last taking
place in 1970. Originally, it had a single rectangular
nave covered by a flat roof, although the cross
vaulted transept and barrel vaulted chancel were
added in the 19th century. The tower–portico
finished with two octagonal six-span sections is a
highlight outside, with the church also housing
several valuable polychrome wood statues
following 18th-century Granada School lines: a
Saint Francis of Assisi, a Jesus of Nazareth and a
Virgin of Candlemas.
Typical white house in the town of Jubrique
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Index
.
Iglesia de San Francisco de Asís (St. Francis
of Assisi's Church)
.
Fuente de San Antonio (St. Anthony's fountain)
Old city of Jubrique
Virgen del Rosario parish Church
believe there was a settlement before the
Moors in the vicinity of present-day Jubrique.
As it is more recent history, there is evidence
of the Moors in the area being strong and
brave fighters against Christian excesses,
uprising and fighting in a battle where Capitan
Alonso de Aguilar and almost all his men –
sent to crush the rebellion – took part. The
Moors were finally expelled from the ancient
Nasrid kingdom with those from Jubrique sent
to North Africa and Galicia, although some
returned illegally becoming highwaymen – like
Marcos el Meliche’s band, a clear ancestor to
bandit raids that took place throughout
Serranía de Ronda in the 19th century.
CONVENTION BUREAU
covered by a barrel vault, with the square-plan
chancel covered by a hemispherical vault
resting on scallops. The 19th-century main
entry was designed by the architect Cirilo
Salinas, as was the tower. This is at the foot of
the church and has three sections separated
by imposts. The second section has oculi to
the four sides, whilst the last houses the bells
framed by Roman arches. It is finished by a
small blue ceramic dome. The inside houses
an 18th-century polychrome statue of Saint
Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the town.
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The discovery of some old hand mills to grind
precious metals proves Phoenicians and Greeks
settled for a time in Genalguacil to operate gold and
silver mines in the Reales Chicos area. Little more
is known about the town’s history until Arab tribes
arrived.
Genalguacil
The town’s name derives from the Arabic GennaAlwacir meaning ‘gardens of vizier’, leading us to
think that a Muslim senior official set up residence
in the town.
The most representative historical moment in
the area is the mid-16th century San Pedro
Mártir de Verona (Peter Martyr of Verona)
parish church. The church was set alight
during the 1570 Moorish rebellion and rebuilt in
the 18th century, undergoing a new
refurbishment just a few years ago. There are
three naves separated by Roman arches
supported by columns. The central widest nave
has a collar-beam roof whilst the side aisles
have lean-to roofs. The chancel is covered by
an oval roof on scallops with the back housing
a hexagonal chapel accessed from the vestry.
The octagonal-plan bell tower at the foot of the
central nave finishes in a hemispherical vault.
The Baroque-style ensemble does have some
Mudéjar features.
San Pedro Mártir de Verona Church
Genalguacil offers visitors a Moorish layout that
has remained practically unchanged to the day.
The town is rich with steep slopes, beautiful
popular architecture of unmistakeably
whitewash houses standing out against the
great green forest banks.
However, the town’s greatest attraction is
perhaps the drive and passion it has for
contemporary art. Tradition has here linked to
modernity with the town having strategically
placed stone, iron, wood and clay sculptures
worked during the Genal Valley Encuentros de
Arte (Art Encounters) – a biannual initiative
that has been celebrated in the first fortnight of
August since 1994.
From that date, the Town Council has invited a
group of artists to live and exchange ideas and
experiences so as to invigorate culture – the only
condition being the work produced at the
encounters stays in the village. In this way, the
area has become an extremely interesting openair museum notably boosting tourism and culture
in Genalguacil. There are works not shown in the
street but in the museum hall in the former mill,
open to the public during the month of August.
Benarrabá
BENARRABÁ
There is no proven evidence that humans
inhabited the area until the Arab arrival on the
Iberian Peninsula, pointing to the town being
founded in the Islamic period, apparently by
descendents from the Bann Rabah (children of
Rabah) Berber tribe, giving the town its name.
.
.
Writing in the trunk of a tree
Even though there are no relics or documents
corroborating the fact, some historians argue the
first inhabitants built a fort on Monte Porón hillside
with panoramic views over neighbouring
Jubrique, Gaucín, Algatocín and Genalguacil. It
was an ideal enclave to observe and defend a fair
amount of the valley.
156
After the conquest by the Catholic Monarchs, the
Muslim population continued to live in
Genalguacil but only until the mid-16th century.
As in many other towns, they also joined the
Moorish rebellion, later being expelled. The
land was repopulated by Christians from other
areas and passed to the Duke of Arcos’ estate,
remaining so until the law removed these
privileges.
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GENALGUACIL
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The 17th-century Cristo de la Veracruz chapel
has also undergone alterations. The design has a
single nave with a precious 18th-century
polychrome wood altarpiece. The small church’s
solemn exterior is slightly interrupted by a funny
single recess belfry.
Cristo de la Vera Cruz Hermitage
GAUCÍN
Romans were the first to move into the area, as
seen in remains from settlements in Casas del
Abrevadero, the pieces of road linking Gibraltar
and Ronda and a statue of Mercury found just a
few kilometres from the present town centre.
During the Visigoth period, Gaucín was known as
Belda, coming under Oróspeda regional
jurisdiction in the Byzantine period, its borders
today unclear. There are remains of the Visigoth
or late Roman necropolis on Enmedio ridge to the
southeast of present-day Gaucín town centre.
However, it was the Arabs who founded the town,
giving it today’s name meaning ‘strong rock’ in
Arabic – a clear allusion to the impressive mound
housing the castle. The years the area fell under
Moorish rule were not exactly peaceful, despite
the periods of previously agreed coexistence
between Moors and Christians since, due to the
area’s location, it was involved in conflicts arising
on the coast and inland. Of all the historic events
taking place in the area, the best known was the
death of Pérez de Guzmán, better known as
‘Guzmán el Bueno’, who died battling the Moors
near Águila Castle on 17th September 1309.
The town fell conclusively to the Christians on
27th May 1485. The Catholic Monarchs’ troops,
led by the Marquess of Cádiz, entered the town
after its surrender. In Christian times, as the head
of the extensive estate including Benarrabá,
Algatocín, Benamahabú and Benamaya, it
experienced major growth and retook its lead role
in the region. For this reason, its layout is more
Christian than Moorish, with less winding streets
than in neighbouring towns.
Gaucín
Teodoro de Molina with lintelled fronts finished
with heraldic iconography.
Like many other hill towns, in the 19th century
Gaucín strongly fought Napoleonic troops, finally
succumbing to the French push. The town was
sacked by imperial forces on 8th July 1810, which
not only led to many deaths but also the burning
of municipal and parish archives. Even the image
of the Holy Child – venerated in Gaucín – was
pulled from the castle walls.
.
.
The economic strength of certain families during
the 17th and 18th centuries made the building of
stately homes possible, such as Cañamaque or
Águila Castle was originally built by the Romans,
being extended and reinforced by the Moors, and
is located on a six hundred and eighty-eight metre
high limestone rock hill to the west of Sierra
Bermeja; the eastern and southern sides are
practically impregnable. The architecture has an
158
Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación Church
The layout is undoubtedly Moorish with two
distinct areas or neighbourhoods: one centres
around a large triangular square in the high area,
housing Santo Cristo de la Veracruz chapel and
the other, around San Sebastián parish church
in the low area. This early 18th-century church
preserves the original design in spite of having
undergone later alterations. The interior is split
over three naves separated by Roman arches
resting on quadrangular pillars. The central
widest nave is covered with a plaster vault in the
shape of a truss and the side aisles have flat
roofs. The plasterwork vault is a highlight in the
chancel, showing eight saints and the four
evangelists on the scallops. There are images
relating to the Annunciation and martyrdom of
Saint Sebastian on the main arches. On both
sides of the chapel are another two, covered by
hemispherical vaults on scallops. On the main
church façade is a curious trefoil arch ending in a
triangle, whilst the ceiling in the towers stands
out, being covered in blue tiles. As a whole, the
church design is harmoniously simple.
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After the Christian conquest, the land passed
directly to the Medina Sidonia family, with whom
one of the area’s most outstanding and
documented events is related. In 1636, the ninth
Duke passed through Benarrabá on his way to
Montilla to pick up his wife, Juana Fernández de
Córdoba, who he married by proxy. The
ostentation of the retinue was registered in local
history as a notable event.
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San Sebastián church from 1487 is a highlight
in the town centre, built shortly after the Christian
conquest. Although the outside is simple, the
interior is richly decorated with altarpieces and
altars, as well as having valuable religious
metalwork. There are three naves supported by
thick square-design pillars with attached
columns. The main quadrant vaulted nave has a
Mudéjar style ceiling and the square-plan twosection tower has Roman arches on the bell
section.
Castillo del Águila (Eagle's Castle)
octagonal dome at the altar end. The grey stone
entry has a Roman arch between pendentives
supporting a split pediment with a central vaulted
niche housing a Carmelite coat-of-arms. It also
has a two-section brick tower finished by a belfry.
At present, the singular municipal structure has
been recovered as a multi-service centre (library,
exhibition hall, conference room, etc.).
One of the great examples of civic architecture in
the area is the 1628 Andalusian Baroque-style
stone Seis Caños fountain. It has three
proportionate sections with a pediment on the
highest part bearing a noble crest with a lavish
plant motif. Some 17th- and 18th-century stately
homes also have coats-of-arms worked in stone
worth taking a look at.
Ermita del Santo Niño (Blessed Child's
Hermitage)
In Paseo Ana Toval is the council-run
Ethnography Museum. The building houses
tools and utensils forming part of everyday local
life, used in stockbreeding, farming and the
home.
After the varied cultural trip around Gaucín, there
remains an essential stroll around the town
streets – popularly known as ‘the balcony over hill
country’ due to the vast landscape seen from
many spots in town.
To the outskirts of the town, in what was Veracruz
chapel, a Carmelite convent (18th century) was
built that has had several uses since the
Medizábal sale of Church lands. The rectangular
church has three naves separated by Roman
arches and covered by trusses, the central nave
being wider and higher than the side aisles.
There is a polygonal-plan chapel covered by an
Fuente de los Seis Caños (Fountain of the
six wells)
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.
160
Cañamaque House
The 17th-century Santo Niño chapel in the
castle underwent extensive alterations in the
18th century. The stone exterior has a small
porch and, to the inside, is split into two naves,
the main nave being covered by a bell-shaped
vault and separated from the other by Roman
arches. The altar end houses a small chapel
dating from 1719-1720, dedicated to Saint
John of God. The square-plan chancel is
covered by a cross vault and central rosette
with a rich plaster décor.
CONVENTION BUREAU
irregular design being made up of three walled
enclosures. The first and largest served as a
refuge for inhabitants and houses Santo Niño
chapel and the old hospital. To the other side,
next to Regente tower, was the arsenal which
exploded in 1848 and, in this area, is the oldest
well. The second stone brick enclosure has two
wells, with the third – probably from the Caliph
period (10th century) – housing Reina tower.
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always battled on in the area with the remains
throughout the region evidencing this.
Today, these towns complement use of the
magnificent setting with a solid tourist
infrastructure, with small industries such as meat
and forest produce processing, e.g. cork.
t
Starting out
in Ronda and
taking the Seville
road, there is a
large dip where the
waters of the River
Guadalcobacín run,
coming from Arriante,
and those of the
Guadalevín – both run
together to form the
River Guadiaro.
There
are
four
municipalities located on
the banks: Montejaque,
Benaoján, Cortes de la Frontera
and Jimera de Líbar, the latter on
the left riverbank. The area is
flanked by two massifs heading NESW: Sierra de Líbar and Montes de Cortes
on one side and the Castillejos-Hacho line on
the other.
The valley forms a natural passage from the Campo de Gibraltar to the Betic depressions, promoting
human habitation from early eras and the laying of transport links from Antiquity to the present day. Relics
from the primitive hunting and foraging humans living in the caves or rocky shelters to withstand the harsh
winters have been found in Pileta Cave, a true sanctuary for Palaeolithic man, although the finds in Gato
Cave are also a highlight. The Guadiaro Valley area holds major remains from the first hill settlements.
These communities later settled and left their mark in the valley: from the Roman era, paving and deposits;
from the mediaeval era, rock churches and castles, as well as the town planning itself in the municipalities;
from the modern era, eighteenth-century stately homes and palaces. This cultural heritage shows man
The route starts out in Ronda heading towards
Seville on the A-376, taking the MA-555 road a
couple of kilometres down which crosses
Benaoján station and goes past the Gato Cave
exit, taking us to the first stop on the route –
Benaoján. From here, take the MA-506 to
Montejaque. Back on the road, head towards
Jimera de Líbar on the MA-501, stopping off en
route to see Pileta Cave. There is a diversion to
cross the River Guadiaro about ten kilometres
from Montejaque, take it and follow the MA-508
heading to Jimera de Líbar, passing by the station
before. We finally head back on ourselves to
follow the MA-549 to our final stop in Cortes de la
Frontera.
Benaoján
The treeless limestone tops contrast with the
abundant holm oak verdure covering the sierra to
the bottom. There are also early prehistoric living
spaces in this extremely beautiful setting – the Pileta
and Gato Caves.
Benaoján’s history, as with many other Málaga
towns, began documentarily with the Moorish
arrival. Some historians state its name, Ben-Oján,
means ‘children of Oján’, whilst others believe it is
‘house of the baker’ from the Arabic Ibn Uyan.
Moro Tower facing the train station is the only
Arabic legacy left in the town, the castle being
captured and destroyed by Christian troops in
1485, since no garrison could be kept there.
Man’s mark on the area dates back 20,000 years
with civilisations such as the Phoenician, Roman
and Visigoth also living on the land, as seen in the
discovery of some late Roman Bracari brick pieces
with Christogram alpha and omega inscriptions at
Vizcondesa farmstead.
After embracing the new faith and becoming new
or Moslem converts, Benaoján locals took part in
the 16th century rebellion, leading to their
expulsion after the uprising was crushed. The
town’s historical development from that point
matches that of other towns in the area, with
BENAOJÁN
.
..
162
U n Tphaes eO
o rpi goirn s" Moáf l M
a gaan lRaoBuet el l a "
The Origins of Man Route
10. HE ORIGINS OF
MAN ROUTE
RECOMMENDED ROUTE:
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The 16th-century Nuestra Señora del Rosario in
the simple town centre with its popular Moorish
architecture is a highlight, undergoing alterations
in the 18th and 20th century. There is a central
nave covered by a mid-20th century wooden roof,
the Gothic vault covering the chancel the only
feature remaining from the original structure. The
entry has a Roman arch between pendentives
finished with a triangular pediment; the threesection tower is next door, the first two sections
being square and the last, octagonal, finishing in
a hip roof.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario Church
Pileta Cave is four kilometres from the town
centre and seven hundred metres high. This
enormous cavity was discovered in 1905 by local
José Bullón Lobato and declared a National
Monument in 1924, housing, as it does, the
largest Palaeolithic rock art ensemble in the
entire Mediterranean, as well as the largest postPalaeolithic schematic cave art representations in
Europe. Formally known as Murciélagos (Bat)
chasm, Reina Mora (Moorish Queen) Cave and
Letreros (Signs) Cave, it is two thousand metres
long and split into three areas: the main gallery,
the new galleries and the rook galleries.
ensembles in the world using yellow, red and
black colours and showing: wild goats, bulls,
horses, stags, wolves, rhinoceros and fish,
anthropomorphic figures, hands and abstract
symbols known as ‘turtles’.
In the Neolithic period, with knowledge of farming
and pottery, the cave was used as a necropolis as
well as a living space. The numerous ceramic,
polished stone tools, bones and seashell relics as
well as the schematic paintings date from this era.
These numerous black symbols are diverse and
spread across three hundred metres, being
recognised internationally as major remains.
The cave was still lived in and used as a
necropolis and sanctuary during the Chalcolithic
and Bronze Ages.
Cueva del Gato (Cat's Cave)
There is an undoubted referent to speleology in
the area located near the train station: Gato
Cave. This 7,800 metre system with a 220 metre
drop and 4,500 metre run has two access points:
Gato Cave, located in Benaoján, and Hundidero
Cave in Montejaque.
Cueva de la Pileta (La Pileta Cave)
The Hundidero–Gato system has been formed
by the slow erosion from the River Gaduares
over millions of years, making this magnificent
natural work possible. The route is split in four
sections: the first, between Hundidero Cave and
the Bullring; the second, between Toriles
(Bullpen) room and Botella (Bottle) gallery; the
.
.
164
During the Upper Palaeolithic, Pileta Cave also
became a place to live, a meeting point and a
sanctuary for several hunter-forager groups from
Algeciras Bay and the Cádiz Atlantic area, where
they spent the winter fishing and hunting large
mammals. These groups would head to Serranía
de Ronda in spring, negotiating the Guadiaro and
Guadalete valleys, and taking shelter in Pileta
Cave during the annual move, leaving behind
ritual paintings. These pictorial representations,
the oldest dating to some 30,000 years ago, are
some of the most important Palaeolithic artistic
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19th-century bandits and later the maquis using
the dense terrain to their advantage.
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Puente medieval de Montejaque (Montejaque
medieval bridge)
Gato Cave was used in the distant past by man
with some animal cave paintings and flint tools
found from the Upper Palaeolithic. In the
Epipalaeolithic, it was still used as a living space
but became more important in the Neolithic,
Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages with polished
axes, decorated ceramics, bone tools and some
paintings found. It was also used as a
necropolis.
Be advised that there is a sign stating it is
prohibited to continue further without the
relevant permission from the Conserjería de
Medio Ambiente (Environment Agency) at the
cave entry since there is one of Europe’s major
bat colonies inside. Furthermore, due to the
danger some sections present, top level
potholing knowledge and equipment are
essential.
CONVENTION BUREAU
third with the Aburrimiento (Boredom) gallery;
and the fourth and last, between Lago 1,100
(Lake) and Gato Cave.
During the Moorish uprising, Montejaque was the
stage for an unusual event where the Moorish
mayor, Mamad Idriz, suffered more than one
attack for collaborating openly with the Christians.
After the Moorish population was expelled, he
was recompensed with lands and even a life
pension.
The small mediaeval bridge is worth a separate
mention, still standing on the old Ronda road,
next to Cupil farmhouse ruins; it is in excellent
condition and is located in an extremely beautiful
spot.
Sheltered by large rocks, the town centre has two
different areas: the lower, straighter area and the
labyrinthine high area full of nooks, ramparts and
bends making this town a real joy of Moorish
planning.
There are some 18th-century fronted houses
around the square and street leading to the Town
Hall and the 16th-century Santiago el Mayor
(Saint James the Great) parish church. Built in
MONTEJAQUE
The Dolmen de los Gigante Megalithic settlement
from the Copper or Chalcolithic Age is located in
the municipality, estimated at three thousand
years old.
Old road to Ronda
There is no documentation or any archaeological
remains indicating Roman settlement in the area,
although the Moorish legacy is undeniable. There
are visible traces of an Islamic fortress, destroyed
after the advance and conquest by Christian
troops in the area. The Count of Benavente did
not consider it important to rebuild after being
handed the entitlement to Benaoján and
Montejaque lands by the Catholic Monarchs.
late Gothic style, although the original structure
underwent major reforms during the 17th and
18th century, it has three naves: the central
widest nave covered by a quadrant vault with
lunettes and borders, and the side aisles being
narrower and irregular. The transept has a
tierceron vault and the wings, cross vaults. The
entry has a Roman arch between Tuscan
pendentives finished with cornice, with the
pictorial decoration in the Gospel aisle Baroque
chapel a highlight. The tower is located next to
Virgen de las Escarihuelas Church
.
.
166
Iglesia de Santiago el Mayor (Saint James
the Great parish church)
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There are many rambling routes in Montejaque
area with one of the most eastern being specially
interesting in the Sierra de Grazalema Nature
Reserve, running along Sierra Algorrobo and
following the old local road to Ronda.
Jimera de Líbar old roman street
Public fountain in Jimera de Líbar
evidenced by the road linking the city of Acinipo
with the Campo de Gibraltar –one section going
through Jimera de Líbar.
The place name seems to come from the Arabic
Inz Almaraz, meaning ‘castle of woman’,
although no remains have been found of the fort.
Nonetheless, there is evidence of an old Muslim
cemetery under the present Rosario church
foundations. Alongside the minaret shape of the
towers, it seems clear the church had Arabic
touches in the design, meaning it was built over
a former mosque. The village fell to the
Christians in 1485, with the conquerors
changing the old name for Ximera de Líbar, as
seen on a stone on the public fountain dating
from 1789.
Two hundred metres from Jimera Station,
following the old Roman paving, are the ruins of
an 18th-century chapel dedicated to Nuestra
Señora de la Salud (Our Lady of Health). The
roof has disappeared but the walls and front,
with its bell arch, may still be seen.
JIMERA DE LÍBAR
CORTES DE LA FRONTERA
The area has two population centres – the town
itself, in the high part, and the Station
neighbourhood around four kilometres from the
latter where the Bobadilla-Algeciras train stops.
Bearing in mind Pileta Cave is nearby, in the
Benaoján area, it seems right to venture there
were Neolithic settlements in the Jimera de
Líbar area, although there are no remains to
completely support the theory. There are relics,
however, about four kilometres from the village
at the Finca del Tesoro estate, which must have
been a Phoenician necropolis according to
ceramic pieces and funeral jewels found. The
Romans also passed through the area as
The first evidence of human habitation in the area
dates back to the remote past. Neanderthal Man
lived and hunted in the sierra as seen in the lithic
tools and cave paintings found in Las Montillas
Caves. Progressive farming and stockbreeding
knowledge made the population permanent, living
in the many caves around. Remains have been
found of Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age
settlements in Hoya del Higuerón, with Megalithic
presence also in the area with dolmenic complex
relics in Puerto de la Encina.
City Hall of Cortes de la Frontera
located 28 kilometres from Cortes town centre in
a place known as Fantasía meadow – having
such importance it even minted its own coinage.
This town was later inhabited by Moors who
changed the name to Benajú.
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.
The Iberian and Roman sites show intense
inhabitation on the land with the city of Saepo –
The Muslims faced the Visigoths in the Cortes
area in 711 and, following the death of Almanzor
in 1002, Cortes alternatively answered to the
kingdoms of Seville and Granada and even those
in Ronda and Algeciras. Fernando III ‘The Saint’
168
Rosario Church. Jimera de Líbar
There are two interesting structures on this route:
17th-century Estacada farmhouse – once
belonging to the Castrillo Fajardo family
(Benaoján and Montejaque squires) and with an
18th-century oil press next door – and a small
18th-chapel built in gratitude to the Virgin of
Escarihuelas. Legend as it that locals carried the
famed miracle-worker Virgin to the city at the time
of Ronda’s plague epidemic; they noticed that as
they were carrying her, the farther away from the
town they moved, the heavier she got, until they
were forced to turn back. The next day, news
arrived that the epidemic had vanished.
CONVENTION BUREAU
the altar end and has three sections – the first two
with square plans and the last, an octagonal plan
with four Roman arches housing the bells,
finished in an octagonal spire.
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Present-day Cortes centre was created in the
18th century, the former Cortes el Viejo once
standing two kilometres from the present town
centre at the foot of Sierra Blanquilla. At the end
of said century, it received a town charter,
becoming independent from Ronda.
The Town Hall is the most important building in
Cortes, built on the orders of Carlos III in 1784. It
has a neoclassical façade with ten arcades
across two floors and topped by a large pediment
with a watch and royal coat-of-arms in the centre.
The simplicity of the material (sandstone) does
not undermine the building’s architectural
elegance.
Late 18th-century Nuestra Señora del Rosario
church in the town centre has three naves
separated by Roman arches. The central nave is
covered by a quadrant vault with the side aisles
having pendentive domes separated by
transverse ribs. Over the transept is a
hemispherical dome finished by a lantern. At the
feet, the choir-gallery with its wooden balustrade
and loft is a highlight. To the outside, there are
two stone entries, at the gable end and in the
Gospel aisle. The tower is next to the altar end
and has Roman arches to the four sides on the
last section that houses the bells, finished off with
a needle spire.
Casa de los Valdenebros (Valdenebros
House)
There is a preserved old chapel door next to the
church which was later turned into a private
residence known as the Casa de los
Valdenebros. It has a 1760 beautiful MudéjarBaroque brick entry with the former owner’s crest
standing out – a retired military officer who
organised the area’s popular resistance against
the French invasion.
The bullring was opened in 1894 and restored in
1921, housing a thirty metre diameter ring – the
second largest ring in the region after Ronda.
Cortes’ major stockbreeding business goes to
explain why such as small place plays home to
such a large bullring.
There are many excellent rambling routes in the
area, although there is a ‘cultural’ route that could
be a highlight since it heads to the Moorish El
Paso tower and Mozarab Casa de Piedra church.
It leaves from the cemetery, crossing the narrow
path towards Cortes Station until across the road,
where the lane narrows and becomes a path with
remains of the old Roman paving still visible. A
little further down to the right is a large sandstone
piece next to some stone walls: this is the Casa
de Piedra (Stone House). This Mozarab church
was excavated in the stone that researchers date
to the 8th century, being converted later into a
press in the 18th century. Some features, such as
the pillar front with ogee arches and an
inscription, were added in the 19th century.
Our route continues under a bridge where we
take a diversion to the right. Going parallel to the
train tracks until the road, we turn to the right and
later cross Cañada del Real towards the dam,
crossing the bridge over the river. Next to this is a
large gall-oak with a path heading from here and
crossing the train track; we carry on down the
path towards the right until going across a ditch
giving access to a wide path between two stone
walls. This is Cañada Real del Llano de las
Cruces which we go through until the CortesUbrique road. Going on up, we enter into a pine
Cortes de la Frontera Bullring
.
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170
CONVENTION BUREAU
conquered the town in 1248 but it later passed
into Muslim hands until 1485 when Rodrigo
Ponce de León Marquess of Cádiz took it in the
name of the Catholic Monarchs. The area was,
for a brief time, Infante Juan’s estate, although a
few years later it became crown lands dependent
on Ronda authority.
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forest until reaching another ditch, after which the
path does a zigzag to the nearby El Paso Tower
you can make out through the trees. This is a
square-plan 10th century Arab watchtower built to
monitor the Gaucín-Ubrique path. This strategic
point looks out over Guadiaro Valley with Jimera
de Líbar and El Palo, Blanquilla, Los Pinos and
Cortes Sierras in the background. Visitors can
also make out the Benadalid, Benalauría and
Algatocín Sierras, Panderón Hill, Alcornocales,
Hacho de Gaucín and Sierra Bermeja –
magnificent views to stimulate the senses.
The ruins of a small church once located in the
area in the far southwest of Cortes municipality
known as Sauceda should be mentioned. Just
parts of the walls remain, mainly from the façade
and belfry – although the setting is stunning.
t
Sierra
de las Nieves is a
natural open museum
rising abruptly and
scoring deep ravines – a
place full of history and
culture. The biological
diversity of this Nature
Reserve and Biosphere is
original and varied due to its
privileged location between the
Mediterranean and Atlantic. In
other seasons, on the white winter
peaks, neveros or snow vendors would
keep the snow in wells to distribute it
during summer in the region’s towns.
11. HE WATER ROUTE
Casa de Piedra (Stone House)
.
.
172
The Water Route
Málaga’s highest peak, Torrecilla, is in Sierra de las
Nieves, rising nine hundred and nineteen metres, as are two of
the deepest fissures in Europe – GESM measuring one thousand one hundred and one metres,
explored, and Aire, measuring six hundred and forty metres. The true star of nature, however, is the
Spanish fir – the oldest fir tree in Andalusia and a legacy from the icy past, having survived thanks to
special conditions in the sierra. The Spanish fir is mixed with gall-oaks, pines, holm oaks and cork
trees, leading to a spectacular scenic and ecologically valuable forest. The fauna in the sierra is also
standout with wild cats, foxes, wild goats, ichneumons, etc. and eagles, vultures, kestrels and many
songbirds flying overhead.
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Sierra de las Nieves
The snow also led to the most emblematic trade
in the sierra – the nevero. This job started after
the spring snowfall, where teams of men would
spend several days collecting the snow from the
high peaks with panniers, carrying it on their
shoulders to the wells where it was pressed,
compacted and turned it into ice. The wells were
covered by dwarf gorse – a characteristic plant in
the high areas of the sierra – until summer, when
it was sold and transported in large blocks on
mule back by muleteers. The ice was used to
preserve food and medicine as well as for
making ice cream, being a luxury item behind
major commercial and economic activity in the
area. Yunquera and Tolox retain two magnificent
restored examples that can be visited, one in
Puerto del Oso and the other, in Puerto del
Saucillo. Sierra de las Nieves is a route for
conversing with locals and taking the time to
enjoy the food in the villages. Once again, history
and legacies may be seen in the relics but, of
course, always with an eye on the peaks,
listening to the running water and sensing those
rivers of life that, for centuries, the snow has
provided inhabitants.
Castles, churches, dolmens, caves, museums,
people and places to visit – experience the
heritage and vivid history of Serranía de Ronda
of the past, present and future.
RECOMMENDED ROUTE:
Back again in Ronda, the option to follow and
conclude the hill route will take us to El Burgo
municipality, starting our Sierra de las Nieves
route.
El Burgo Roman bridge
.
.
We get to El Burgo on the A-366, the same road
to Junquera and Alozaina. After enjoying the
churches and castles, we head from Alozaina to
Casarabonela on the A-6208. After visiting this
town, we return to Alozaina and take the A-366
again to Tolox. From Tolox, we head towards
Guaro, again on the A-366, until the crossroads
taking us to Guaro and Monda on the A-6207.
Leaving behind castles and churches, we head
to Ojén on the A-355 and, from Ojén, stay on the
same road to Marbella. Form Marbella we finally
head towards Istán on the A-6206 where our
route and visit to Serranía de Ronda comes to
an end.
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La Torecilla Peak
The raw material giving rise to its name – snow –
was taken off the peaks for years. Nieve or
Nieves was the place name adopted by the
locals to describe the most treasured asset they
had, since the liquid state is the source of life and
enriching crops in the lowlands which, in the
Moorish era, was carried through hundreds of
irrigation channels to the reservoirs or farmland,
terraces and orchards. Water also helped
population settlement, creating a culture
producing richness and wellbeing. The water mill
helped transform the raw material into food, the
natural fountains and springs bringing health to
locals, and in its modern version riches too –
seen at the still-in-use Fuente Amargosa Spa
since 1867.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Sierra de las Nieves’ nine surrounding
municipalities are like sentries: El Burgo,
Yunquera, Alozaina, Casarabonela, Tolox,
Guaro, Monda, Ojén and Istán linked by a
common history of battling against and for the
natural environment, being alike whilst having
their own peculiarities. Town planning is mainly
Moorish in origin with narrow labyrinthine streets,
perched whitewashed houses on uneven terrain,
later modernised in the Christian period with
large squares and straight streets. As told in
stories from the Christian conquest and later
Moorish revolts, these are towns of irrepressible
peoples, with life hardened by the sierra.
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Some state the town’s name comes from a Greek
term meaning tower (Paurgus), whilst others opt for
a Celtic origin (Baurgs), with a third group supporting
Arabic roots (Borch), also meaning tower.
Tower of the Arabic fortress
The strongest arguments, however, point to El Burgo
being a Celtic settlement that was successively
occupied by different civilisations landing in the area.
It is known that the Carthaginians built a watchtower
known as Aníbal Tower and that the Romans, at the
time of Trajan (born in nearby Italica), granted it
imperial town status, being an obligatory stop for
legions. There are still relics from the Acinipo-Málaga
road in Puerto de los Empedrados, as well as socalled Málaga Bridge, on the road linking the area
with Ardales – also a Roman tract.
El Burgo formed part of Umar ibn Hafsun’s territories
in the Muslim era, alongside other towns in the area.
In the 11th century, Hafsun battled the Cordovan
caliphate and the fort, built at the time and known as
Cornicabra watchtower or Miraflores castle, was one
of the main defensive points in the area, although it
fell to the caliphate after Ben Hafsun’s death. It
answered to Ronda and, later, Málaga and Granada
during the Taifa kingdoms.
Iglesia de San Agustín (St. Augustine's
Church)
La Encarnación church is the most noteworthy
monument in El Burgo, located in the high part of
town in the old Moorish – later Christian – fortress
complex, where only a few walls remain. The
Mudéjar-style church was built on the foundations of
a former mosque in the 16th century (1505),
although undergoing many alterations incorporating
other styles. There are three naves inside separated
by bevelled pillars with moulded lancet arches and,
outside, two entries – one Gothic-Mudéjar and the
other, Baroque – from the end of the 18th century.
The tower is finished in a hip roof.
The recent (1952) San Agustín church houses the
images of Saint Augustine, the Madonna and the
Sacred Heart on the High Altar, the locals showing
them great devotion.
Late 15th-century San Sebastián chapel is next to
the cemetery with the small simple church seemingly
built in honour of the saint for Isabella the Catholic
who was very devoted to him. The original late
Gothic entry is still preserved.
La Encarnación Church
The former Carmelite convent Virgen de las
Nieves church, outside the town centre, was built
mid-16th century and rebuilt in the 18th. It is a simple
single-nave structure which, after being abandoned
by the religious order after the Mendizábal church
land sales in the 19th century, housed an oil press.
The 18th-century waterfall and Fuensanta Press
are historically and, especially, scenically interesting,
visitors being able to stroll and enjoy the pleasant
open air surrounded by local flora and fauna. A stop
at the ranger monument lookout is also
recommended as an essential visit for the spot’s
splendid views.
YUNQUERA
This town is set in one of two natural passes to
cross the eastern Serranía de Ronda mountains
with relative ease. Added to the abundant water in
the sierra springs, it seems logical to suppose the
area was inhabited from prehistoric times,
although no permanent settlement is known until
Molino de la Fuensanta (Fuensanta Mill)
.
.
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As with other towns in the region, El Burgo
surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs in 1485, with
the proven valour of the guerrillas exempting the
town from paying taxes during the reign of Felipe II.
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EL BURGO
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The Moors knew how to fully use the abundant
sierra spring water, designing a series of
ingenious water channels to irrigate the orchards
and mill flower in the seven hydraulic mills
Yunquera once housed. One of these is presently
preserved, known as ‘Teja Mill’, although it has
been greatly restored. The numerous fountains
placed in strategic spots around the town centre
thanks to the generous fresh water are a
highlight.
Present-day Yunquera, although having Arab
origins, was shaped after the Christian conquest
(1485), more concretely at the beginning of the
16th century, when the area was repopulated by
people from Estepa.
La Encarnación is not, however, the only religious
building in Yunquera. Alongside a series of small
vaulted niches placed in some town house
façades, there are three chapels in the area, two
in the town centre.
Ermita de la Cruz del Pobre (The Cross of the
Poor Hermitage)
Cruz del Pobre (Poor Man’s Cross) chapel is
next to the town cemetery and was finished in
1866 in a popular style. It has a hexagonal shape
with a six-sided roof and, to the inside, is
dominated by the image of Cristo de la Cruz del
Pobre (Christ on the Poor Man’s Cross),
venerated by locals.
The 18th-century Nuestra Señora del Carmen
chapel is also known as Calvario chapel and is a
simple rectangular plan structure with a wooden
frame; there are spectacular views from the
location.
Ermita del Calvario (Calvary Hermitage)
Around five kilometres from the town centre is
18th-century Nuestra Señora de Porticate chapel,
although it underwent reforms in 1929. This
simple rectangular plan structure has a gable
wooden roof and, on one of the walls, a small
octagonal chapel housing decorated plasterwork
in the corners. The small structure is finished with
an early 19th-century rococo style painted dome.
The 16th-century watchtower, known in
Yunquera as El Castillo (‘The Castle’) is just five
hundred metres from the town centre, heading
towards El Burgo. The truncated cone structure is
closed to the outside by a spherical roof, with the
stone walls housing trumpet-shaped openings for
artillery use. It has now been restored and
planned as the headquarters for the Sierra de las
Nieves Nature Reserve Information Centre.
Mention should also be made of the snow
hollows, circular constructions measuring eight
to twenty metres in diameter and fifty centimetres
deep, used to store large blocks of snow which,
on summer nights, were transported on mule
back to nearby areas for food preservation.
These hollows are right in Sierra de las Nieves, in
Puerto de los Ventisqueros, and have been
recently restored. They may be visited although
access is only possible on foot, via a rambling
route.
El Castillo en Yunquera Watchtower
.
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Part of the mediaeval and some old fortress walls
are still preserved in the town centre, where the
largest Sierra de las Nieves church, Nuestra
Señora de la Encarnación, is located. The
church was built in 1505 over the foundations of
a former mosque, although most of the building
now is from the 17th century, with three naves
covered by cross vaults and separated by
cruciform pillars with a small dome decorated
with some reliefs, the transept wings having rib
vaults.
CONVENTION BUREAU
the Roman era, when it was known as Juncaria
(Grassy Spot), being strictly divided into work and
rest villas. There are two preserved bridges on
the Ronda road from this era.
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ALOZAINA
Alozaina
Iglesia de Santa Ana (Santa Ana's Church)
Alozaina municipality spreads out from Sierra
Prieta to the north, until the Valle del Río Grande
in the south, linking the eastern side of Serranía
de Ronda with Guadalhorce Valley, two very
different areas lending the setting notable
diversity.
The remains found in Algarrobo Cave (hunting
tools) show the first human settlements in the
area date to the Palaeolithic period, with golden
objects from the Bronze Age also found in a burial
area. Nonetheless, even though Iberians and
Phoenicians are also known to have visited the
area, it was not until the Roman occupation when
a stable settlement was erected and an initial
layout arranged.
The area’s intensive activity during the Muslim
period attracted more people than fitted in the
Roman fort, leading to the complex spreading its
limits outside with some outskirts appearing.
Alozaina Arch
Alozaina fell to Christian troops in 1484 without,
according to tales, any resistance – inhabitants
well aware of the harsh siege at nearby Álora city.
Nonetheless, five days after the city surrendered,
King Ferdinand ordered the entire grove in the
area be felled and the town set alight after a noble
Christian was killed. This is why the area
remained abandoned for several years.
Once repopulated by long-time Christians, the
area saw a singular historical event in 1570,
during the reign of Felipe II: the town was
attacked during the Moorish uprising in Ronda
country but, with the men folk outside city walls in
the fields, the town was defended by women.
María Sagredo stood out for her fearless valour,
being named by the king as sub-lieutenant of
Spanish regiments with rank and post.
The late 18th-century Santa Ana parish church
is a highlight in Alozaina town centre, although
work started in the 16th century as stated on the
façade inscription. The design, however, follows
eighteenth-century lines with a Latin cross plan
and, to the interior, a single nave with a solid
wooden roof. The most outstanding decorative
feature on the façade is the red brick entry with a
Roman arch on Tuscan pendentives. The squareplan tower has an octagonal final section housing
the bells.
Located at the entry to the town centre, the
recently built Arco de Alozaina (1951) has
become one of the town’s symbols, being a type
of homage to the Moorish origins and tradition.
The area’s old castle took the name of María
Sagredo, the laudably courageous heroine who
defended the town from Moorish invasion. Only
part of the tower and walls remain from the
original structure, the rest being from a mid-20th
century reconstruction allowing locals to use the
building. The castle is, apart from a historical
likeness, an exceptional vantage point
overlooking Hoya de Málaga.
Around two kilometres from Alozaina town centre,
heading towards Casarabonela, is an interesting
Mozarab vestige: a complex with the remains of
a 9th- and 10th-century small chapel, necropolis
and hermit cell excavated in the rock.
Fortaleza María Sagredo (María Sagredo
Fortress)
.
.
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The present vestiges in the town centre, however,
date to the Moorish period when the castle –
whose ruins remain – was built. The town name
is also Arabic in origin, coming from Alhosaina
meaning small castle.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Travellers may discover Sierra de las Nieves
Nature Reserve – a Biosphere Reserve – in the
privileged municipality, being one of most valued
natural and ecological areas in the Málaga region
thanks to the varied original flora and fauna,
including species in danger of extinction, such as
the Spanish fir.
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September brings the Olive Fair, coinciding with
the Dulce Nombre de María (Sweet Name of
Mary), whose statue is carried through the town’s
streets by women. As well as religious sentiment,
the day includes a free young olive tasting in the
main square with music and a great festive
atmosphere.
Alozaina Hermitage Ruins
CASARABONELA
Casarabonela
The most important relics date to the Roman
period apart from some Neolithic remains
attesting to prehistoric presence in the area. It
seems that the Romans were the first to establish
a settlement which, according to the 19th century
Dutch orientalist R. Dozy, they called Castra
Vinaria, as well as laying the first foundations of
the old fortress overlooking the town. Remains of
the roads that linked Casarabonela with Málaga
and Ronda may still be seen, as can the original
Roman bridge rebuilt in the mediaeval period.
Some Roman sites are known to exist around the
town and await excavation and study.
The Moors extended and strengthened the old
fortress around the 9th-10th centuries, with
parts of four towers and some wall sections
presently preserved. It was a major bastion
throughout the battles Umar ibd Hafsun fought
against the Cordovan caliphate and later Nasrid and
Christian skirmishes. Curiously, this was the last
castle to be conquered by Castilian troops (1485)
during their offensive in the Al-Andalus area, and was
not dismantled by the Catholic Monarchs but kept in
military use until the 17th century. At the present time,
the Town Council is looking at the possibility of
extending – via different methods – the opportunities
the public space offers, having been declared a
Cultural Heritage Site.
Ruins of the Casarabonela Castle
The Moors called it Qasr Bunayra (Palace of
Bunayra), which the Christians changed to
Casarabonela in the 15th century. Once the town
was conquered and local Moors expelled after the
Granada Alpujarras uprising, Casarabonela lands
were divided amongst those from Extremadura,
Andalusia and the North. Felipe II awarded it a town
charter in 1574, documented in the Municipal
Archive.
Casarabonela town centre is well worth a visit itself,
where a Moorish touch is all around in narrow
labyrinthine streets, steep slopes at times replaced
by steps, brilliant white houses in popular timehonoured style and quiet spaces where time seems
to ignore any hustle and bustle. Christian traditions
are also evident in the numerous niches – totalling
forty-five – housing images of Christ, the Madonna
and Saints – singular features of popular devotion.
The fountains are also greatly appreciated, having
Fountain with a mosaic in Casarabonela
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The municipality runs into Ronda County in the
Alcaparaín and Prietas Sierras, approaching the
River Turón. The rich flora and fauna alongside
the vast landscape variety meant it was included
in Sierra de las Nieves Nature Reserve,
declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in
1995. The height of the terrain decreases towards
the central area with its abundant olive groves
and cereal crops, whilst man’s effort to mould the
landscape around the town may be seen with the
rich orchard – a legacy of irrigation skill
introduced by the Moors – and numerous jets and
fountains quenching visitors’ thirst on hot summer
days.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Good Friday is a highlight amongst popular
celebrations and tradition, a processional day
where the Nazarene and Virgen de los Dolores
come together. Alozaina locals, as in other
Málaga towns, act out some parts from the
Passion, adding colour and poetry to the deeprooted Christian celebration in the area.
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Iglesia de Santiago (St. James' Church)
One of the area’s curiosities is it being the only place
where, for more than twenty years, the Passion of
Christ has been staged inside the church over three
nights: Palm Sunday, Holy Monday and Tuesday,
with a fascinating mise-en-scène, under Pedro
Olalla’s direction, involving professionals and locals.
This vindication of the Baroque Eucharistic play is
charged with symbolism, tradition and rites
embodying universal themes: life, love and death. It
is undoubtedly one of the most important cultural
events in Casarabonela.
The Museum of Religious Art is next to the church
and houses magnificent examples of artistically
valuable silverwork, books, chasubles and statues.
This is not, though, the only religious building in
Casarabonela – there are also two hermitages.
Ermita de la Veracruz (Veracruz Hermitage)
The 17th-century Calvario retreat has a square
plan and hip roof, although the present structure
dates to the 19th century, with a small patio
surrounded by flowers and overlooking
spectacular scenery. Veracruz chapel was built
before 1574 and took on its present shape mid18th century. The building has recently been
restored and has a three section Mudéjar-style
entry with belfry and a single nave inside, where
the lavishly decorated chapel with plasterwork
houses the Virgen de los Rondeles. Every
December twelfth evening, in honour of the
image, and as a sign of thanks for the olive
harvest, a popular religious celebration is held
characterised by the esparto basket fire soaked
with olive oil from the press. This tradition is more
alive than ever and has been declared an
Andalusian National Celebration of Tourist
Interest due to its age, originality and popular
roots.
Near the chapel is the Mizos Mill Museum, a
spectacular 19th-century olive mill which still
preserves implements, measuring and storage
tools as well as the presses and impressive
millstones. Visitors mustn’t miss this fantastic
spot.
The perfectly preserved Chimenea Tower is a
highlight amongst industrial buildings, having
been designed by Valencian artisans and formed
part of an early 20th-century hydroelectric
industrial complex.
Furthermore, the work being carried out in
developing one of the best cacti and succulent
plant collections in Europe should be mentioned.
This is the soon-to-appear project Cacti and
Succulent Plant Museum.
Molino de los Mizos (Los Mizos Mill)
.
.
Before finishing, we would like to mention the
perfectly signposted routes (the Historic Centre
and Surroundings, the Camino Llano and Quebrá
Fountain) combining architectural heritage with
magnificent natural spaces, some key visits being
the Chorreón waterfall, Fuensanta cross,
Cristóbal plain, Dehesa path, etc. These routes
have been put together by the local tourist board
with itineraries and detailed information that go to
show the town’s and council’s interest in its
extraordinary treasures being discovered.
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Museo sacro de Santiago (Religious Museum
of Santiago)
16th-century Santiago church is also Christian,
being a former collegiate church built over the main
mosque on late Gothic lines and later refurbished
several times. There are three naves separated by
Roman arches resting on quadrangular pillars. The
choir and sacrarium chapel are the two standout
features to the inside, the altar piece on the High
Altar housing the polychrome wooden image of the
Virgen del Rosario, the town’s Patron Saint, a work
in 18th-century Castilian style. To the outside, the
Roman arched entry and three-section tower stand
out, all being whitewashed and finished with a
ceramic pyramid top.
CONVENTION BUREAU
recaptured their original settings and adorned with
beautiful tiles showing different aspects related to
history, traditions and customs in this amazing town.
The small Islamic Garden is also a highlight where,
thanks to the essential water feature, Arabic tradition
plants, flowers and fruit trees are housed, creating a
magical enchanting spot.
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The first human settlements in the area date back
to the Neolithic era, as seen in the three
decorated ceramic vases found in Tinaja Cave,
near Peñón de los Horcajos, around five
kilometres from the present town centre. A
Roman child’s gravestone, as well as several
inscriptions embedded in the church walls, was
found at the beginning of the 20th century.
Tolox
The first mention of Tolox in the Islamic period
makes reference to the occupation of an old
castle by the Muladi leader Umar ibn Hafsun in
833. Upon his death, the fortress was inherited by
one of his sons, Soleiman, who suffered defeat in
921 at the hands of Abd-ar-Rahman III, whose
troops destroyed the castle. When the town
surrendered to Christian troops in 1485, the
fortress was rebuilt but again pulled down in
1498.
Tolox walls ruins
Visitors will notice on arriving in town that the
area has a deep Moorish character with irregular
narrow streets, alongside perennially white
façades with their vividly colourful plants standing
out. Perhaps the best example of this is
Rinconada del Castillo neighbourhood, where
this deep-rooted Muslim tradition is greatest.
Tolox Castle, construction of which is attributed
to the Phoenicians, is the oldest structure in the
area. The Romans used it during their stay and,
in 833, it was taken by the rebel Umar ibn Hafsun,
who rebuilt it and made it one of his greatest
bastions. Practically disappearing in the late 15th
century, only a wall section and passageway are
preserved.
San Miguel church was finished in the early 16th
century and was a refuge for Christians during the
1568 Moorish uprising. After being set alight, it
was rebuilt in 1577 by the master builder of
Málaga Cathedral, Diego de Vergara, who
ordered the much affected High Altar walls be
knocked down. In 1632, the church needed to be
restored anew. There are three naves separated
by Roman arches resting on quadrangular pillars.
The High Altar chapel ceiling, the choir and side
aisles with hemispherical vaults date to the 17th
century. To the inside are three 18th-century
canvasses showing the Marriage of the Virgin, the
Epiphany and the Adoration of the Shepherds
attributed to Diego de la Cerda. The square plan
tower is located in the altar end of the Gospel
nave and seems to have been built on the former
mosque’s minaret.
Located in Plaza Alta, the Popular Traditions
and Arts House Museum is a former large
house in the 19th-century custom, where country
tools used by locals in the past are on display.
The exhibition has five rooms showing: the dining
room, reproducing family life; the kitchen, with old
utensils; the bedroom, with an iron bed, wooden
crib, jewellery box and, even, an 1864 missal; the
oil room, with an old Moorish press, scales and
lamps; and the country room, with farming
equipment. There is also a photography
exhibition from the 50s.
Iglesia de San Miguel (St. Michael's Church)
.
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As with Monda, the area was handed in estate to
the Marquess of Villena and Duke of Escalona in
1509. The Inquisition’s repression was noted in
Tolox with the mayor being publicly reprimanded
for locals singing and dancing in an Arab style at
some family celebrations. After the Moorish
uprising and expulsion, the municipality remained
practically deserted until the arrival of long-time
Christians from Castile and Galicia in the time of
Felipe II.
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TOLOX
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Ermita de San Roque (San Roque
Hermitage)
Museum of Ethnography
The most interesting examples of civic building
are the late 16th- early 17th-century Casa de la
Inquisición building with its exposed brick entry
framed by pendentives, and the 16th-century
Casa del Hidalgo Fernández de Villamor
residence with its whitewash façade and artistic
ironwork. Fuente Amargosa Spa should also be
mentioned, today a hotel making use of the
curative spring water.
One of Tolox’s main attractions is outside the
town centre. The municipality falls within the
Sierra de las Nieves Nature Reserve,
Biosphere Reserve, a mid-to-high mountainous
region with great peaks and deep fissures. The
difficult terrain and coastal influences favour
ecologically valuable varied plant and animal life.
There are Alpine, subtropical and North African
examples that, with time, have evolved into a
great variety of endemic species, the Spanish fir
being a highlight.
Guaro is one of the gateways to Sierra de las Nieves
Nature Reserve, declared a Biosphere Reserve by
UNESCO. Its advantageous location, near the Costa
del Sol yet protected from the hubbub, has meant it
retains a balance between the needs of modern life
and the traditions of a predominantly agricultural
town – hence enjoying a calmer atmosphere.
Balneario Fuente Amargosa (Fuente
Amargosa Spa)
The area extends placidly through gentle hills
measuring between two-hundred and fivehundred metres, playing home to mainly olive
groves, almond trees, scrubs and groups of cork
trees where the land doesn’t allow cultivation.
The setting is undoubtedly farmland, in harmony
with new cultural and leisure pursuits.
The remains found in Ardite show prehistoric
settlements in the area with Roman presence
having been detected in Cerro del Polvillar,
although the village itself was established in
the Moorish period.
The Moors originally set up in Guaro el Viejo
and, shortly afterwards, in the present-day
centre. Guaro was taken by Christian troops in
1485 after the fall of neighbouring Coín,
receiving a town charter via royal privilege of
Felipe IV in 1614. Years later (1648), the king
changed this to a county charter in reward for
certain services provided to the crown by Juan
Chumacero Sotomayor Carrillo de la Vega,
who, in turn, became the first count.
16th-century San Miguel parish church is in
the high part of town, being refurbished in the
17th century and undergoing new alterations
in the 20th. It has a Latin cross plan without
any side naves, with the façade having a
Roman arch between Tuscan pendentives, a
niche housing an image of Saint Michael and,
to the right, the double-section bell tower.
Guaro
The 18th-century Cruz del Puerto chapel is
half a kilometre from the town centre, housing
an image of Christ of the Cleansing, where
locals come in procession every May 3rd to
celebrate the Day of the Cross.
San Isidro chapel is located next to Grande
River, in a eucalyptus grove taking the saint’s
name. It is very recent (1992) but built in the
traditional Andalusian style, with the sole
mission of housing the image of Saint Isidore
Cruz del Puerto Chapel
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The Water Route
The Water Route
GUARO
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San Roque chapel, the town’s patron saint, is
located three kilometres from the town centre and
is a simple modern building (20th century). The
main attraction is the setting itself, providing
fantastic panoramic views of the area.
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MONDA
Castillo de Monda (Monda Castle)
The colourful holm oak and cork forests in Monda,
such as Moratán and Giamón at the foot of Sierra
Canucha, are unforgettable lands, even after having
visited many other natural areas of beauty. Not for
nothing has the area been included in Sierra de las
Nieves Nature Reserve. The land softens to the
north with large olive and cereal groves; the terrace
orchards dominating the setting near the town.
The Water Route
The village spreads over the least variable part of a
headland hillside, crowned by the castle.
Nonetheless, there is no lack of hills and slopes nor
Moorish touches in the oldest part of town. The early
16th-century Santiago Apóstol (Saint James the
Apostle) church is located here, having been
restored in the 18th century and housing three naves
Cruces del Calvario (Crosses of Calvary)
separated by Roman arches resting on pillars. To the
inside it has the Jesús chapel (16th century) that
preserves some Mudéjar features and the Virgin
chapel with an interesting 18th-century Baroque
plaster vault. To the outside, there is an insignia
belonging to Bishop Fray Alonso de Santo Tomás, as
well as the square-plan three-section tower, the last
section housing the bells.
The town has an 18th-century religious monument,
the Altar, better known as the Cruz del Calvario or
Cruz de Monda (Calvary or Monda Cross), built
about Calvary, it is the last Station of the Cross. The
whitewash construction has a central niche with
three protruding points, each topped with a wrought
iron cross.
What was once the Town Hall is a highlight of civic
architecture and located in the old town. It is a large
structure preserving the former prison in the
basement and is not presently used – the council
intending to restore it and move back there.
Jaula Fountain is one of the most
representative architectural features in Monda.
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Santiago Apóstol Church
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The Water Route
Several peoples have passed through the area,
having logically left their mark. In this way, some
remains of the Roman road connecting to Cártama
are preserved, with three different areas being
observed: the first, and closest to the town,
preserves the original Roman paving; the second is
well-conserved with repairs carried out in the
mediaeval period; thirdly, and lastly, is the steepest
section and should be pointed out as still retaining
some small steps used to wedge the wagons. Next
to the road are the remains of a single-span Roman
bridge. Furthermore, it has been estimated that,
based on archaeological relics, Vileta Castle was
built in the 3rd century B.C., in the Roman period,
although it was undoubtedly Umar ibn Hafsun who
rebuilt Al Mundat fortress to defend the town from
Cordovan caliphate attacks. The castle was
integrated into the Guadalhorce Valley defence
system but had to be rebuilt in the 11th century after
Chief Sain Ibd Al-Mundir razed it to the ground a
century earlier. After the Christian conquest of
Málaga, Monda was placed under the authority of
the present provincial capital with the fortress, only
partly-destroyed in the siege, being recovered.
Nowadays, it is a luxury hotel that has respectfully
incorporated the ancient features into its
construction.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Festival de La Luna Mora (Moorish Moon
Festival)
during the procession celebrated in his
honour. At the present time, construction of a
large area to house three spaces is
concluding and we are sure it will significantly
benefit the town: a tourist information centre;
a Museum of oil and Popular Crafts, where
a whole 20th-century electrically-driven oil
press has been rebuilt, as well as a mola
oleatoria, that is, an animal powered oil press,
alongside an 18th-century screw press mill;
thirdly, there is an open-air theatre with a
stage and stands for holding the popular
Festival de la Luna Mora (Crescent Moon
Festival) every September. The town
changes completely at this time, becoming a
large mediaeval souk selling artisan pieces,
offering diverse cuisine and good music,
especially Andalus, and livening up these few
days that have, in just a few years, took on a
major role in the area.
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Fuente de Jaula (Jaula Fountain)
Mari Gloria House Museum recreates how life
was in the village in the past and its customs. A
former bakery, it now houses tools used not
only to make bread, but also farming
equipment, old furniture, past decorative styles
and countless curiosities to peak the interest or
memory of visitors.
One of the major celebrations is based around
a local culinary delight: the Monda or Poncima
Soup Day. This tasty popular recipe is made
with bread, pepper, tomate de culo (a special
spice with a particular taste), garlic, oil and
eggs. It takes place on a varying Sunday in
March and brings together hundreds of visitors
ready to enjoy the area’s most typical dish.
OJÉN
Ojén’s territory extends from Sierra Blanca to Sierra
Apujata, heading down the Real and Ojén River
Valleys bordering with Marbella and Mijas
municipalities.
Juanar Valley hides behind these hills, playing home
to an old early 20th-century hunting refuge, presently
a rural hotel. Further along is Puerto de Marbella
vantage point overlooking extraordinarily beautiful
spots.
La Encarnación Church
In spite of being an inland town with no port, Ojén
falls, in a way, within the Costa del Sol region thanks
to its proximity to the coast and climate. The area’s
land, however, extends over high and low ground,
placing it also within the Sierra de las Nieves and
providing a unique landscape mix full of originality
and beauty.
As a result of remains found in the area, the first
human settlements date to the Neolithic period,
with some researchers also stating there may
have been a permanent farming town in the Late
Roman Empire. The present town centre,
however, is Moorish. The area is mentioned in
‘the chronicles of the Cordovan emirs’ deeds’,
where it is told how in 921 A.D., Abd-ar-Rahman
III decided to crush Umar ibn Hafsun’s rebellion
faced at Ojén Castle walls. Once the Muladi chief
was defeated, Abd-ar-Rahman conquered the
settlement, calling it Hoxán (rugged spot) and
converting the original church into a mosque.
The town fell into Christian hands in 1485 and,
where the Moorish rebellion exploded in 1568,
Felipe II charged the Duke of Medina Sidonia with
stifling the revolt and, later, the Christian
repopulation in the area. These battles led to the
castle being set alight and, although rebuilt later,
there are only some relics on an escarp above the
town.
It was not until 1808 that Carlos IV awarded the
area its legal independence from Marbella, as
seen in the Carta Puebla or foundation charter.
Ojén’s present aspect is of a typical Andalusian
village and, although all towns recommend a visit
to the old quarter, here it is essential – it being a
true pleasure to savour the picturesque spots with
their Moorish street design and architecture.
Fuente de los Chorros (Los Chorros Fountain)
becoming a bell tower and, to the inside, although
there has been slight alterations, the single nave
preserves a magnificent coffered ceiling.
In the town centre is the early 20th-century Los
Chorros Fountain, which has become one of the
symbols of this fascinating town in its five years of
providing fresh sierra water.
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On the stroll, alongside discovering the scarce
relics of what is known as Solís Castle, we can
also make a stop at the 16th-century Mudejar La
Encarnación Church. It was built on top of the
original mosque foundations with the minaret
Another unmissable stop is the Málaga Wine
Museum in Carrera Street. This restored 18thcentury building where local, Pedro Morales,
established a distillery in 1840 using aromatic herbs
and grapes from Ojén to obtain a top quality world
famous liqueur. The Museum houses the stills used
to distil the liqueur, a magnificent sample of regional
wines, a valuable Málaga wine label collection,
handicrafts, antiques and objects related to
oenology.
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The Water Route
The Water Route
Mari Gloria Museum
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This old 16th-century covered wash house
opens to the outside via arcades that make
later use of the water to irrigate. Although the
fountain was rebuilt in the 18th century, it
preserves its original design, as well as a large
marble cross on the façade.
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Istán municipality falls within the Sierra de las
Nieves setting with part of the land forming part of
the area declared a Biosphere Reserve, housing
great ecological value and an extraordinarily
beautiful landscape.
Museo del Vino de Ojén (Ojén Museum of
Wine)
At the time of the 1569 Moorish rebellion, Felipe
II sent Luis Ponce de León to crush the uprising
and, once the Moors were expelled, Istán was
repopulated by Christians mainly from Murcia,
many speaking a dialect known as panocho, a
word later used to describe local inhabitants.
San Miguel church – the town’s patron saint – is
the most important structure, being built on the
orders of Diego de Deza in 1505, the Archbishop of
Seville, and having to be rebuilt after the 1569
Moorish uprising. It has undergone several
alterations since then, the last in 1960, and has a
rectangular nave covered by a frame and two
chapels with 18th-century paintings. It also houses
some artistically valuable statues. The entry to the
outside stands out, with a Roman arch between
pendentives supporting a pediment open at the
apex housing an iron span. To the side, is a unique
double-section angular belfry with bells at the top.
Containing abundant water, Istán has an interesting
Moorish irrigation layout which, in some cases, still
functions. The numerous popular style fountains
are also highlights. In this vein, one of the town’s
most picturesque areas is in Chorro Street, with
white façades setting off beautiful bougainvillea and
roses, where the Siete Caños Fountain supplies
the former brick-and-tile public wash house with
water. Esfera Fountain is also a highlight, being a
monument to water designed for Istán by the
international artist Salvador Calvo Marín – one of
the town’s favourite sons.
Hornacina
Ermita de San Miguel (St. Michael hermitage)
At present, the council is working on a nice project
to create a Water Museum to be opened soon.
Another singular building is the Youth Centre
which, as with San Miguel chapel, four kilometres
from the town centre, makes use of a natural cave
in the structure.
Istán, though, houses a treasure that has nothing to
do with human creativity in the area – the Santo
Castaño or Holy Chestnut Tree. This tree is over
eight-hundred years old, measures thirteen metres
in diameter and has been declared a National
Monument. Its regal posture seems to look down
on the ephemeral future of our lives, playing
unmoved silent witness to the passing of time.
Fuente de los siete caños (Fountain of the
Seven Well)
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The Water Route
The Water Route
Torre Escalante (Escalante Tower)
The town centre’s origins date to the mid-14th
century, when Christian troops laid siege to and
took the now-disappeared Arboto Castle. After
the struggle, defeated Moors fled and set up the
present Istán location, translated as ‘most high’. A
new fortress was built on this spot, with only the
tower, known as Escalante, remaining. Built in the
15th century, it has a square plan made up of
stone rows, arches and a vault, and was recently
restored with a pretty surrounding garden. It has
been declared a Cultural Heritage Site.
Further examples of the town’s and its
inhabitants’ devotion are the twelve niches
containing wooden crosses spread across the
town centre and making up the Via Crucis
route; those on the church façade, however,
are the only ones in their original location.
Legend has it that every Lent Friday,
‘penitents’ would come out at night covered
with hoods and dragging leg chains and stop,
kneel and pay penance at each station.
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ISTÁN
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The Muladi chief’s revolt, headed by himself and his children, was based on a system of establishing a
large hierarchy and needed control of the territory. For this reason, large fortresses were built to function
as power centres to control farmsteads and refuges and housed citadels, neighbourhoods, churches and
mosques. They were financed with the bounty from pillaging and robbing the tax collections paid to the
Guadalteba and Guadalhorce region two-day
route takes in mediaeval forts with the first day
running through the municipalities around the
Guadalhorce Valley. We start in Almogía,
accessed via the MA-423, although this road can
be reached from the Campanillas area (A-611) or
Puerto de la Torre (A-6113). This is an obligatory
return trip, taking the old N-340 again (now
widened) and heading on the route to Alhaurín de
la Torre via the A-366 after Málaga Airport. This is
the same road for Alhaurín El Grande. Once
finishing the visit to these two towns, take the A366 to Coín and, from there, to Cártama on the A355. From Cártama, take the A-357 Guadalhorce
trunk road towards Pizarra, where we take the A343 diversion to Álora. Then, take the same A343 to Abdalajís Valley, where we finish this trip.
To head back to Málaga, return to Álora on the A343, where the A-6117 links with the A-357
towards Málaga.
Cártama municipality fortress
Marqués del Guadalhorce Reservoir
The second day goes through the municipalities
making up the Guadalteba Valley. The route sets
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The Mediaeval Fortress Route
The area is historically linked with Umar ibn Hafsun and his ‘headquarters’ at Mesas de Villaverde, known
as Bobastro ruins. This character was the main figure in the most important rebellion against the Umayyad
State at the end of the 9th and beginning of the 10th century, being undoubtedly the last attempt to uphold
feudal privileges and social structures by Spanish-Goth aristocracy in Al-Andalus.
RECOMMENDED ROUTE:
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12. HE MEDIAEVAL
FORTRESS
ROUTE
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t
The fantastically
rich and varied
heritage in the
regions is endorsed
by
the
many
archaeological
settlements, running
the
gauntlet
of
civilisations:
Phoenicians,
Tartessians, Iberians,
Romans,
Visigoths,
Muslims, etc. A rich past not
only reflected in the
archaeological remains but
also in the magnificently
preserved structures: churches,
towers, forts, convents, stately
homes, etc. This has been a place of
passage and frontiers for centuries with the
houses perched on heights and, at times,
protected by strong defensive enclosures.
emir, as well as income from the subjugated
inhabitants. Sustaining this system required
alliances with other Muladi rebels and even
Berbers, such as the Banu Jali de Cañete. Umar
finally surrendered to the emir in 916, although
the revolt would continue for some years, led by
his children. Nonetheless, Abd-al-Rahman III’ s
victory would not be long in coming, introducing a
new social system across the land and people,
being structured into ‘hill-fort districts’ (several
farmsteads around a fortress led by a governor).
At this time, larger castles began to appear –
some extensions of the latter – being responsible
for the small town centres and caliphal power.
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Once the mediaeval fortress route is finished, we
can head on towards Ronda for a visit and start
on new routes, or head back to Málaga, undoing
part of the route already taken, this time on the A367 until the Huertas de Guadalteba crossing
where we head on the same road toward Ardales,
getting to the A-357 for Málaga.
ALMOGÍA
The large Almogía area is bordered by Sierra del
Torcal to the north and, to the south, by nearby
Hoya de Málaga. Between these two
geographically uneven terrains there is an
extension of olive groves covering the diverse
mountainous land – albeit without any sudden
abruptness – except for the near eight-hundred
metre Santi Petri Peak.
Ruins of the Almogía Roman-Arabic tower
Some very interesting relics have been unearthed
in Venta del Fraile region, concretely several
cave paintings showing prehistoric man’s
presence in the area. As with many other Málaga
region towns, Almogía was also an important link
between coastal and inland city locations, as
seen in the Roman road found in the area. Some
The town had certain importance during the
Moorish era, especially during the Muladi
rebellion led by Umar ibn Hafsun against the
powerful Cordovan Umayyad dynasty. There is
sufficient information to believe Santi Petri Castle
or Hins Xan Biter played a decisive role in
defending Bobastro during the revolt. The fortress
was a prison for Christian captives during battles
with the Catholic Monarchs’ troops and was
destroyed by the Castilian army in 1487 in its
advance towards taking Málaga. Only the ruins
remain today. Having become Castilian vassals
after surrendering to the Catholic Monarchs,
Almogía inhabitants joined the later Moorish
rebellion in 1570. Captain Francisco Sánchez de
Córdobo led five hundred men in crushing the
rebellion, with those involved being transferred to
other areas. So as not to remain abandoned, the
town was repopulated by long-time Christians
from Antequera and Teba which, at the time,
belonged to the kingdom of Seville.
excellent Mudéjar coffered ceiling and preserves
three laudable 18th-century paintings (a
Madonna, a Baby Jesus and a Saint Paul the
Hermit) by an unknown artist. The bell tower is
next to the church.
Santo Cristo chapel was built on a 17th-century
structure, although it underwent alterations in the
late 19th century. To the square-plan small interior
is the worshipped Crucifixion painting which, in
the past, formed part of the fourteen Stations of
the Cross.
Almogía Castle was used as a defensive fortress
between 1410 and 1487, then becoming a way to
control the Moors in the area after the Christian
occupation. Only one of the original seven towers
still stands, Vela Tower. The now-disappeared
Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación Chapel was
built at the end of the 15th century on the
foundations of a former mosque located in the
stronghold’s complex.
There is no doubt that the place name has Arabic
origins, in spite researchers being split on the
authentic root; for some it comes from Al-mexía –
from the Mexí descent – whilst, for others, it
simply means ‘pretty’ or ‘beautiful’.
The town’s standout monument is the parish
church dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la
Asunción and built in the 16th century over a
former mosque’s foundations. It had to be
restored in the late 19th century after being
damaged in the earthquake that razed part of the
area to the ground. The central nave has an
Capilla del Santo Cristo (Holy Christ Chapel)
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Almogía
thermal baths and Roman villa remains in Gálvez,
Chirino and Los Moras farmhouses have recently
been discovered, providing more information on
the former inhabitants in these lands, although
these vestiges may not be visited, having been
unearthed on private estates.
CONVENTION BUREAU
off in Carratraca, getting there from Málaga via
the A-357. The same road leaves us in Ardales
and, later, in Campillos. After the visit, we head on
a return trip to the Sierra de Yeguas on the A-365.
We continue towards Teba on the MA-468,
stopping at the edge of Teba (Teba Station),
where we then head on the A-6210 and continue
on the A-384, the crossing taking us to Almargen.
Returning from Almargen on the MA-476, we get
to Cañete la Real. The route finishes by heading
towards Cuevas del Becerro on the MA-475 until
it links with the A-367 where, seven kilometres
down in the Ronda direction, we find the town
located next to the River Cuevas.
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Popular architecture holds at least
anthropological interest at Hortezuela Fountain
and Noria wash house, a singular structure from
the 19th century used until 1990. It preserves
thirty wash pots and matching stones around a
pool.
The recently refurbished Nuestra Señora de las
Flores (Our Lady of Flowers) convent is two
kilometres from the town centre with a large brick
belfry crowning the façade. There is a great
panoramic view over Guadalhorce Valley from
here.
The small 18th-century Tres Cruces hermitage is
located on the border of Almogía, Álora and
Cártama, near Pizarra, where the Cruces de
Mayo (‘May Crosses’) encounter is held to the
peculiar sound of verdiales groups from the four
towns. Verdiales are a primitive fandango style
rooted in some Málaga mountain enclaves with
three clear local styles from as many spots:
Almogía, Montes and Comares. Those from this
area are different due to the faster beat. This
example of popular folklore is danced to with a
large hat adorned with vividly colourful ribbons
and countless small diverse objects.
ALHAURÍN DE LA TORRE
Alhaurín de la Torre
The large Alhaurín de la Torre municipality
extends out between Mijas and Cártama Sierras
and the Hoya de Málaga, possessing gradually
lower open spaces the closer to Guadalhorce one
gets. Orchards, citrus plantations and subtropical
produce mix in with the newly laid estates which,
endlessly, spring up in the area. Its proximity to
Málaga city and Torremolinos has led many
people from the two places to choose Alhaurín de
la Torre as home, thanks to its good transport
links to the coast. In spite of the large
demographic and urban growth, the area has
been able to maintain its identity and traditions,
preserving typical and extremely charming nooks.
Evidence has been found in nearby Guadalhorce
basin of Phoenician presence, meaning the town
most probably has Phoenician origins and also,
according to some historians, saw Tartessians in
the area.
It was given the name Laura Vetus in the Roman
period and must have had some importance
since it is mentioned on several occasions in
historical accounts. A necropolis and parts of
walls and foundations of what was a luxury Villa
in the period have been found near the town
centre. Some historians believe this is where the
followers of Julius Caesar killed Pompey after the
battle of Munda.
Moors settled in the area later and gave it the
name of Alhaurein or Albarracín, with relics of a
farmstead and tower in Cortijo de Molino
preserved from this era. It was finally christened
Alhaurín after being conquered by Christian
troops in 1485, adding de la Torre to differentiate
it from Alhaurín el Grande.
Iglesia de San Sebastián (St. Sebastian's
Church)
where he was caught alongside his comrades. He
and his followers were shot on San Andrés sands
in Málaga city.
The most outstanding religious building in the
area is San Sebastián church. The original
church was built in the early 17th century,
although after being destroyed by an earthquake,
it was built again in a neoclassical 19th-century
style. It has a Latin cross plan and three naves
inside; the façade is finished with twin belfries.
Cristo del Cardón chapel is located at the entry
to the town who, according to legend, saved the
life of a Christian soldier during a battle with
Muslim troops.
The Fuente del Rey aqueduct was built in the
18th century, intending to take water from a
Churriana spring to Málaga city, with only the
Arcos de Zapata arches remaining. The work
met with great obstacles (the landowners in the
plains opposed the plan and, furthermore, the
budget was very high) and was never used for
this purpose.
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A major event from modern history took place in
1831 when General José María de Torrijos was
captured – after the failed uprising against the
absolutism of Fernando VII, where he attempted
to restore the 1812 Constitution, he sought refuge
during his flight from royal troops at Hacienda de
la Alquería estate (present-day Torrealquería),
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La Noria Watermill
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The Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Sacred Heart
of Jesus) chapel houses the images of the
town’s patron saints – Saint Roch and Saint
Sebastian and was built in the high part of town in
the 18th century, forming part of the now
disappeared Sagrado Corazón convent.
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Arcos de Zapata (Zapata Arches)
In the centre itself, in what is known as Barrio
Viejo, is a natural monument sculpted in the
rock by water – the caves inside thirteen
houses. They were a refuge for the new
inhabitants in the 12th century arriving in the
town after the Christian conquest; afterwards,
covered mainly with lime, they have had
different uses (stables, storage spaces, lumber
rooms, etc.). These houses, known as ‘Albaicín
caves’, are presently being studied to
determine their protection and restoration.
ALHAURÍN EL GRANDE
Ermita de San Francisco de Paula (St.
Francis de Paula Hermitage)
As we approach Alhaurín el Grande, the brilliant
white of the houses can be seen, surrounded by
the countless fertile and impeccable orchards on
terraces descending to the valley, mixing in with
extensive citrus, fruit, olive and cereal crops,
forming a continuous bank of greenery zigzagged
by the River Fahala. The town centre is set in the
north face of the Sierra de Mijas and has typical
high and low sloping ground with streets housing
picturesque ways to soften the height.
This area of the Málaga region was inhabited by
man from at least Neolithic times (the stone axes
at Huertas Atlas testify to this), with successive
visits by Iberians, Phoenicians, Greeks and
Romans, the latter driving the area forward the
most.
The arches at the aqueduct near Lucena or Los
Doce Caños Fountain – on the way to Coín –
are Roman. An alabaster statue and several
Diocletian coins were found at the same spot,
whilst Tuscan capitals have been unearthed at
Haza del Tesoro. Numerous Roman remains
have also been discovered in the spot known as
Fuente del Sol with columns, marble, coins,
mosaics, etc. merely confirming the importance of
the imperial settlement in Alhaurín el Grande
terrain.
It was not, however, until Moorish rule that the
town took on its present appearance, gaining
greater economic dynamism based mainly on
sensible water use for crops. A fortress was also
built in this era on the spot today occupied by La
Encarnación church, as well as other structures
around the area such as the Arco del Cobertizo
archway. The place name is also Arabic, from Alhaur meaning vale or valley.
After the bloody Christian conquest in 1487, the
usual land distribution took place amongst the
new Christian inhabitants whose descendents
bought their jurisdiction in 1634. The town
emblem also includes the Golden Fleece
awarded by Carlos V.
Fuente Lucena o de los Doce caños (Lucena
fountain or Twelve Wells fountain)
Virgen de Gracia (Our Lady of Grace), patron
saint of Alhaurín el Grande.
Santa Veracruz hermitage has an architectural
singularity – a curious triangular three-section
tower. The neogothic church is the centre for the
Real Venerable Cofradía del Santo Cristo de la
Veracruz, María Santísima de la Soledad y del
Santo Sepulcro (Royal Venerable Brotherhood of
the Holy Christ, Blessed Virgin of Solitude and
Holy Sepulchre), popularly known as ‘Los Verdes’
(‘The Greens’). 17th-century San Sebastián
chapel is built on a former Muslim building and is
the centre for the town’s brotherhood, as popular
as the latter, the Hermandad de Nuestro Padre
Jesús Nazareno (Brotherhood of Our Father
Jesus of Nazareth), also known as ‘Los Moraos’
(‘The Purples’).
Near the Alhaurín-Mijas road in the area is Cristo
de la Agonía (Christ of Agony) chapel, a simple
18th-century structure housing the miraculous
image locals offer many promises to in return for
favours.
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16th-century Nuestra Señora de la
Encarnación parish church is the most
important religious monument in town, built where
the Moorish fortress stood. The Latin cross plan
has three naves and was refurbished in the 18th
and 19th centuries. The apse is dominated by the
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Alhaurín de la Torre’s celebration highlight
comes from the Pagan world. Close to San
Juan festivities – greatly celebrated in nearby
coastal municipalities – is Torre del Cante,
one of the most important flamenco festivals in
both Málaga and the whole of Andalusia. The
genre’s best artists come to the area to show
how this brazen art vibrantly emanates from
their insides.
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San Francisco de Paula (Saint Francis of
Paula) hermitage was built in 1875 next to
Alamillo estate. At times of droughts, the saint
was brought out in the belief that the rains
would soon fall on the dry fields.
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Lucena Fountain is equally outstanding, also
known as Los Doce Caños Fountain, located on
the way out of town, in the Coín direction. This
fountain is more than just a monument, it is a
tribute to the abundant water in the area where,
even in the harshest summers, it flows
abundantly from the jets.
The few Moorish relics possess great
archaeological interest at the old Fahala fort,
located in the nearby spot of Torres de Fahala, as
do those at Ubrique watchtower, whose mission
was to alert inhabitants to enemy incursions. It
has a square plan and a crenallated finish – a
Christian addition.
The Arco del Cobertizo is also a Muslim legacy,
being the gate to the medina and probably part of
the town’s defensive wall in the Middle Ages.
Ermita de la Santa Veracruz (St. Veracruz
Hermitage)
Los Corchos mill is from the Muslim convert era
(15th-16th centuries) and is one of the few
examples of preserved traditional hydraulic mills.
It was originally used to mill wheat and other
cereals, although in the 19th and 20th centuries it
was used to grind cork used to for grape export,
giving rise to its present-day name.
A visit to La Paca Mill is worthwhile to discover
how olive oil is produced. This 1870 building
shows both traditional and modern oil production
methods with a tasting of extra virgin oil at the
end of the visits and a small shop selling regional
produce.
Holy Week is the big celebration in town and the
two brotherhoods – the verdes and moraos – toil
to surpass the intricacy of the processional
equipment and quality of the biblical passage
representations that accompany the parades.
This means the celebration is dynamic and
involves the whole town, including those curious
visitors.
The brotherhoods also participate in the other two
celebration highlights: eight days after Corpus,
Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno parades again
and, at the Cruz (Cross) festival on May 2nd and
3rd, the image of Cristo de la Veracruz.
Ermita de San Sebastián (St. Sebastian
Hermitage)
COÍN
Coín municipality runs from Sierra de Alpujata to
the Guadalhorce Valley region, without any
pronounced rough terrain but great contrasts
seen not only in the changing land formations, but
also in the type of vegetation and crops. In this
vein, whilst in the sierra there are many cork and
pine groves, the lowlands are home to orchards
dominating the landscape with large citrus groves
and even subtropical fruit trees near the River
Guadalhorce.
Alhaurín el GrandeCity Hall
The fertile terrain with its favourable lay of the
land and abundant water attracted man in
prehistoric times, being continuously inhabited to
the present. Cerro Carranque and Llano de la
Virgen sites are from the Metal Ages, being
declared Cultural Heritage Sites, whilst the Cerro
del Aljibe site shows evidence of Phoenician,
Greek, Iberian and Roman presence in the area,
not to mention Cerro de las Calveras where there
are Visigoth interments.
According to chronicles taken in the era of Abdar-Rahman III, the former Roman town was
La Alameda de Coín (Coín Alameda)
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Arco del Cobertizo (Cobertizo Arch)
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Present-day Alhaurín el Grande Town Hall is a
noble building constructed over the former Santa
Catalina convent-hospital, sharing a square with
Montellano Palace, two magnificent examples of
civic architecture enjoying a great panoramic
view over Guadalhorce Valley.
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Moroccan historian Idn Adhari would refer to Coín
as Castro Dakwan three centuries later, giving
rise to the suspicion that the name was Roman,
or at least Mozarab, bearing in mind the
existence of a Mozarab cave basilica near the
town, before the arrival of Abd-ar-Rahman III’s
army.
During the Moorish period, the town underwent
some farming development, as witnessed by the
preserved irrigation structures. It is known that,
towards 1450, the city was medium-sized in the
Nasrid kingdom with three thousand inhabitants.
The cloisters of Santa María
de la Encarnación Convent.
After Christian troops took the town in 1485, the
Catholic Monarchs ordered the fort be destroyed
as, due to its size, it was expensive to maintain a
large enough defensive garrison. Repopulation
and land distribution took place two years later
with the town seeing constant population growth
from the 16th century.
In 1773 the town had seven-hundred orchards
growing all types of fruit trees and vegetables,
with wheat, maize, oil, barley, hemp, honey, silk,
etc. cultivated on farmland. There were also
fourteen oil and twenty flour mills. This
information merely substantiates the town’s
prosperity which, in 1913, entered modernity with
the opening of the now-disappeared train track
linking the area with Málaga city. Nonetheless, it
was not until 1930 when Alfonso XIII granted it a
Town Charter and the Town Council, the title
Honourable.
Coín’s historical and artistic heritage is especially
based around its religious buildings; not for
nothing was it the centre for one of the dioceses
the Bishopric of Málaga was divided into,
integrating fourteen villages under its authority.
An unmistakeable sign of Coín’s religious
importance was the seven brotherhoods it
housed in the 16th century.
Santa María de la Encarnación was the first
church built in Coín, being a former Arab mosque
consecrated to Christianity in the 15th century.
Early in the 18th century, a Franciscan priory was
built here and, later, a convent housing an
outstanding Baroque cloister. These convent
buildings are now in public use, with a two-room
Museum: the Sala Arqueológica (Archaeology)
houses a large collection of pre- and protohistoric
pieces found at different sites in the area and the
Sala Etnográfica (Ethnography), many past tools
used in farming tasks.
The 16th-century San Andrés (Saint Andrew)
church has an uncommon L-shaped plan (there
are only four examples across Andalusia), where
the sick would be placed in one wing to separate
them from other believers. The Mudéjar coffered
ceiling and stained glass are specially valuable,
as are the cloister, the Mannerist façade and the
large three-section belfry (18th century), which
stands out amongst contemporaries for its
originality and beauty. Next door was Caridad
Hospital, linked via an extension to the chancel,
which is now taken up by the town’s court
buildings.
Iglesia de San Andrés (St. Andrew's Church)
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San Juan was finished mid-16th century and is a
good example of Andalusian Renaissance
column church. Classical features combine with
Gothic and Mudéjar styles that, with the passing
of time, come together harmoniously although,
due to the 18th-century restoration, Baroque
elements dominate. It has a Latin cross plan with
a wide, tall central nave covered with a gabled
ceiling and single sloped roof side aisles. There
are two marvellous sculptures to the inside: the
16th-century Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles (Our
Lady of the Angels) and the superb late-Gothic
15th-century Virgen de la Fuensanta, Coín’s
patron saint, measuring a mere eleven
centimetres. The latter remains in the church all
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Commemorative mosaic in Coín
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fortified by a noble from the Cordovan Caliphate
in the year 920. This enclave known as Dakwan
– corresponding to present-day Coín – played an
important role in the military campaigns the
Umayyads held against the Muladi rebel Umar
ibn Hafsun, whose headquarters was located in
nearby Bobastro until his defeat in the year 928.
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To the edge of the town centre, next to the Monda
road, is the Trinitarios Tower, with a special
triangular plan and being one of only three in
Andalusia. The tower belongs to Santo Cristo de
la Veracruz church which, in turn, formed part of
the convent complex occupied firstly by the Trinity
Order and, later, by the Franciscans. It was
abandoned in the 19th century after the
Mendizábal sale of church lands with only the
tower remaining today.
Torre de los Trinitarios (Trinitarios Tower)
There are remains of a suburban Mozarab
monastery excavated in the rock in Coín
municipality, said to have been used between the
8th and 10th centuries. This is a complex of five
excavated hollows in the rock, with three
interconnecting main parts and two side areas
with separate entries. The entry, church nave and
quadrangular apse covered by a mock quadrant
vault may be observed. The remains prove the
hypothesis some historians put forward for the
presence of an early well-organised and
hierarchical Mozarab community. Unfortunately, it
is located on private land and may not be visited.
In spite of Coín experiencing logical population
and urban growth, it has managed to preserve
the unmistakeable Moorish layout in the town
centre and a strong Andalusian and Málaga
flavour. For example, there are still some niches
on the front of whitewash houses holding small
statues of Jesus, Mary and the Saints, constantly
offered flowers and candles by locals. Strolling
through the streets we come across a large
selection of pretty foundations, such as in Plaza
del Mercado, next to San Juan church, or in Plaza
de Santa María, dating to the 18th century and
reminding us of the immense abundance of water
in the area.
The sculptures and monuments in the streets and
squares are also worth a mention: in Plaza del
Príncipe is a sculpture called ‘Hola’ (‘Hello’) and in
Plaza de la Villa, one known as ‘Amor’ (‘Love’),
both by sculptor Santiago de Santiago; in San
Agustín Park is the Obelisco (obelisk), a
monument to those who died in the Spanish Civil
War, alongside several century-old styrax trees
from India; lastly, in Plaza del Ayuntamiento is the
Santo de la Alamed’, a bronze Christ figure.
The town’s deep-rooted religious tradition may be
seen in all its glory during Holy Week, where a
living representation of the Passion is shown.
This secular tradition stopped after the Spanish
Civil War, but was recovered at the beginning of
the nineties. At the beginning of May is the Day of
the Cross, where the streets are adorned with
flowers in wait for the Cristo del Perdón y de la
Cruz (Christ of Forgiveness and the Cross)
procession.
Another, albeit pagan, tradition fills Alameda de
Coín with colour and rhythm – the Festival de
Bailes Populares (Popular Dance Festival)
involving local and international groups mixing
their styles to the delight and appreciation of
locals in this picturesque village, where tradition
sits hand-in-hand with modernity.
Park of San Agustín, Coín
CÁRTAMA
The town centre is split into two areas, Cártama
Pueblo and Cártama Estación, and the municipal
area extends to the foot of the small Espartales
and Llanas Sierras, making up what is known as
the Sierra de Cártama. Thanks to abundant
water, the valley plain is favourable for growing
citrus fruit and vegetables whilst, to the north, the
terrain joins Montes de Málaga, where the
undulations are covered in olive and almond
groves, next to the farmhouses. Fully in the
Guadalhorce region to the west is the Sierra de
Gibralgalia, where Casarabonela, Coín and
Pizarra municipalities meet.
The place was named Cartha (hidden city) at its
Phoenician foundation, the Romans adapting the
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Nuestra Señora de la Fuensanta Hermitage
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Iglesia de San Juan (St. John's Church). Coín
year except in May, when she is taken to Nuestra
Señora de la Fuensanta hermitage, located on
the Monda road. Built in the 16th century, albeit
undergoing extensive alterations in the 17th and
18th centuries, it stands out for its chancel,
designed as an open chapel and decorated in a
very similar vein to Nuestra Señora de la Victoria
church in Málaga city. It is, thus, a highly Baroque
work with abundant decoration. During the first
weekend in June, locals take to the road in
procession, on horseback, in carts or on foot,
searching for their patron so as to take her back
to San Juan church after Holy Mass.
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Christian troops managed to enter the castle in
1485, making it a type of headquarters for the
Catholic Monarchs’ army where the conquest of
Ronda and Málaga was planned. After the fall of
Granada, the fortress was abandoned until the
War of Independence when it became a refuge
for French soldiers.
Castle and medieval wall ruins
San Pedro (Saint Peter) church is in the town
square and was built in 1502, as stated on an
inscription on the main façade. The work was
carried out on a former mosque which, in turn,
was located atop a Roman temple and has three
Mudéjar coffered ceiling naves. The altars and
states to the inside are modern and, to the
outside, the square-plan, three-section tower –
formerly a minaret – stands out with its Arabian
roof and decorative pinnacles in each corner.
It would be foolish to leave Cártama without first
visiting Nuestra Señora de los Remedios
hermitage, dedicated to the patron saint,
however tiring the route may be. The slope
leading to the chapel goes in zigzag, with steps
on some sections to cope with the steep incline.
The effort is well worth it, the temple enjoying one
of the best panoramic views out over
Guadalhorce Valley. The present 18th-century
hermitage has its origins in another from the 16th
century when, according to tradition, the Virgin
appeared at this spot. The statue housed inside
was taken on procession when the town was
suffering the ravages of an epidemic and, as the
illnesses disappeared, she was christened Our
Lady of the Remedies. This miraculous character
has, since then, encouraged popular devotion
extending beyond the area’s borders. The quiet
single-nave chapel has a semi-circular vault and
neo-Baroque décor with luxuriant plasterwork; the
eighteenth-century chapel of the Virgin herself is
a highlight, the 15th-century statue perched on a
beautiful silver niche. The outside is finished with
an elegant belfry.
Visitors may quench their thirst in Pilar Alto
Street, on the way to the chapel, with fresh water
from the oldest stone fountain in town. The NeoMudéjar González Marín House Museum is on
Sáenz de Tejeda Street, on the corner with Viento
Street. The lauded spoken-word poet from
Cártama lived here in the mid-20th century.
A Cruz de Humilladero (cross of devotion)
welcomes visitors to the town, having been
placed there by locals in the 18th century – the
column shaft supporting this simple iron cross is
actually a Roman Tuscan column. Remains of the
Roman road linking Alhaurín to Cártama may be
seen near the town centre, as well as a singlespan bridge and some arches from the aqueduct
that transported water from the river to the town.
Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios Hermitage
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Iglesia de San Pedro (St. Peter's Church)
Perched on a hill behind the patron saint chapel,
the castle is presently undergoing restoration. It
has a rectangular plan and double walled
enclosure (the first with ten towers and the
second, with eight plus a wall tower), and to the
inside houses a large reservoir excavated out of
the rock and covered by a perforated vault to
capture rain water. There are also remains of
what was the main square.
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Cártama
name to Cartima. In 195 B.C., the Roman consul
Marcus Porcius Cato made it a municipality
providing it with strong defences. The sites found
from the era show the town must have had a
large number of inhabitants, making it safe to
assume it was one of the most important towns in
what is now Málaga province. The Visigoths and
Moors would later strengthen the original fortress,
the latter being fully aware of its strategic
location, changing and consolidating it to such an
extent that, during the Nasrid period, the castle
became a defensive, economic and political
nerve centre.
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The River Guadalhorce crosses Pizarra
municipality north to south. The land, although not
totally flat, is characterised by the extensive rich
fertile plain with its abundant citrus fruits and the
also frequent fruit tree plantations and spaces
given over to orchards. To the west, however, the
main crops are cereals and olives.
Relics of prehistoric settlements and some
Phoenician utensils have been unearthed in the
area, as well as indications that there was Roman
occupation.
Built as a parish in 1652, San Pedro church is the
town’s most interesting Christian structure, the
most valuable item being a 1630 font. It has a
historically valuable coffered ceiling and, to the
outside, a standout square-plan bell tower.
González Marín Museum
The Condes de Puerto Hermoso Palace lies
nearby and was built over the foundations of the
family seat built by Diego Romero. The present
early 20th-century palace was finished in a NeoMudéjar style and maintains a clear aristocratic
air. The Pizarra Conference was held here in
1922, covering issues relating to the Morocco War,
and is now a private property not allowing visits.
Hermanas de la Cruz convent is a beautiful 18thcentury home, remodelled on various occasions in
function of the uses it was put to. Several 17thand 18th-century Baroque images may be
appreciated in the present chapel, although a visit
to the cloistered convent buildings is not possible.
Iglesia de San Pedro (St. Peter's Church)
The 18th-century Nuestra Señora de la
Fuensanta hermitage was excavated in the rock
and built over a 10th-century Mozarab church.
Declared an Artistic Historical Monument in 1983,
the Baroque plasterwork is a real highlight.
Pizarra Municipal Museum in the Casablanca
Farmhouse houses the Gino Hollander collection
– a Belgian artist who moved to Pizarra in 1968
and whose passion for Spanish culture led him to
acquire a valuable antique collection (Iberian and
Roman ceramics, metal objects, coins...) on
display in the museum. There is also a selection of
traditional tools such as farm equipment, 15th19th century large chests and an interesting 19thcentury furniture collection.
To the outskirts of the town centre, in the Sierra de
Gibralmora, is the image of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, known to locals as El Santo (‘The Saint’).
Placed here a few years ago, it took the place of
the former image which was donated by the Count
of Puerto Hermoso in the early 20th-century and
lost in the Civil War. At the end of March or
beginning of April every year, locals go in
procession to visit the Santo and hold a
celebration dedicated to him after mass.
Palacio de los Condes de Puerto Hermoso
(Counts of Puerto Hermoso Palace)
Nuestra Señora de la Fuensanta Hermitage
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212
Fuente de piedra (Stone Fountain)
Nonetheless, the location is cited for the first time
in the late 15th century, when the Catholic
Monarchs donated one hundred fanegas
(approximately 160 acres) of ‘Pizarro land’ to
Diego Romero as a sign of appreciation for help
received at the conquest of Álora. This noble built
a family seat where, years later, the Puerto
Hermoso Palace would stand. In the same
century, the parish church was built, with other
structures springing up around the latter and
leading to the small centre becoming the villa,
finally established as a municipality in a Royal
Decree passed by the High Court of Justice in
1847. Just a few years later in 1859, the town
entered the modern age with the building of the
railway and the road linking Álora and Málaga city
crossing Pizarra, contributing to taking the town
out of isolation.
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PIZARRA
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“El Santo” ("The Saint")
The intense past has left its heritage mark with
more than two hundred pieces (prehistoric,
Roman, Muslim and Christian) being found at
various archaeological digs and now shown at
Álora Municipal Museum, located in the old
16th-century Mudéjar building known as the
Antigua Escuela de Cristo (Former School of
Christ) which, in turn, belonged to the
disappeared San Sebastián Hospital.
The Vandals took ancient Lluro in the 5th century
A.D., with remains dating to this period in the fort
on Torres Hill although, without doubt, the
defences are Visigoth.
Álora Castle has Phoenician origins and was a
fortress to Romans, Visigoths and Moors, who
successively extended and modified it. Thus,
after the Roman occupation and almost total
destruction following the Visigoth settlement, the
Moors extended the fort into three historic
monuments: during the Emir period, the main part
of the castle was built using top-quality materials;
in the Caliphate, the walled enclosure was raised;
in the Taifa period, the Keep was built. Only two
towers and a horseshoe lancet arch on one of the
walls remain, with the interior of the enclosure
housing the cemetery. In Christian times, under
orders from the Catholic Monarchs, Santa María
de la Encarnación Chapel was built over the
foundations of the original mosque, with only the
Choir covered by Gothic fan vaulting and the
chancel remaining.
The Muslim invasion was peaceful, with
inhabitants able to keep their religion and
customs in exchange for paying taxes. Later, the
city was besieged on many occasions by
Christians, with Alfonso XI, Juan II and Enrique IV
successively attempting to take Álora and leave
The large Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación
parish church is the third largest church in the
Málaga region. The building, at the foot of the hill
where the castle sits, was begun in the early 17th
century, being terminated at the end of the
century, and has three naves separated by strong
Álora Castle
The area was occupied early, evidenced by the
prehistoric finds in Hoyo del Conde and the
proven passage of Tartessians and Phoenicians.
Álora Castle foundations are precisely
Phoenician in origin, although the Romans
consolidated the fort. It was in this era the town
saw its greatest splendour, with interesting relics
such as the milestone reading Municipium
Iluritanum, dating from 79 B.C. and showing
Álora to be a Roman town with Latin law in the
Domitian era.
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Álora Municipal Museum
the road to Málaga free, but it wasn’t until 1484
that the Catholic Monarchs’ troops finally took the
area. In 1628, Álora eventually separated from
Málaga municipality, as testified to in the act
preserved in the municipal archive and signed by
Felipe IV.
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Los Gaitanes Canyon
The most diverse landscape may be appreciated
in the Álora area, running from demanding
mountain formations, such as the Sierra de
Huma, to the gentle riverside spots next to the
Guadalhorce, passing through the imposing
canyon of Desfiladero de los Gaitanes,
undoubtedly one of the most striking geographic
features to be seen in Spain. In harmony with this
diversity, there are many varied crops and forests
in Álora municipality, with citrus and fruit tress
dominating the breadth of Guadalhorce Valley,
olive groves, almond trees and scrubland
expanding to the area bordering the Montes de
Málaga, and pine groves and old holm-oak wood
remains in the border area nearest Antequera
region.
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ÁLORA
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The 16th-century Veracruz hermitage was built
to commemorate victory over rebel Muslim
converts and is a small irregular-plan building
having undergone several alterations, with a
graceful belfry a highlight. At present, it houses
the image of Nuestra Señora de la Piedad and
Santa Veracruz, paraded around Álora town
centre every Good Friday. Nuestro Padre Jesús
orando en el Huerto (Jesus Praying in the
Garden) chapel in Calvario Street houses this
beloved image which is paraded every Palm
Sunday. Next to this, is the Glorieta, a vantage
point with magnificent views over the valley.
Around two kilometres from the village is the
17th-century Nuestra Señora de las Flores
convent, which was refurbished in the 18th
century and recently restored to reclaim it back
for use after the sale of Church lands. In the
simple wooden ceiling nave, the chancel stands
out, being a typical Baroque design of Málaga
plasterwork. The two most interesting works
housed in the simple church are a 17th-century
polychrome wood sculpture of Saint Francis of
Assisi and an image of the town’s patron saint,
Our Lady of Flowers. The extremely sober
exterior has a notable belfry crowning the façade.
Nuestra Señora de las Flores Convent
The Cruz de Humilladero is located near the
convent and commemorates the symbolic
handover of the town keys the last mayor made
in 1484 to the Catholic Monarchs.
The 16th-century Santa Brígida (Saint Bridget)
chapel, next to the station, houses some frescos
from the period, a highlight being the image of
Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza (Our Lady of the
Head) that is venerated and loved by locals and
who is taken on a pilgrimage every year around
the Estación area.
On the boundary with neighbouring Almogía and
Cártama is the recently-built Tres Cruces (Three
Crosses) hermitage which, to the inside, has a
small altar for each village and is a shared
meeting point during the Cruces de Mayo
celebrations.
Desfiladero de los Gaitanes natural area,
belonging to Álora, Ardales and Antequera
municipalities, is an unavoidable reference point
for Málaga geography. After leaving the reservoir
area supplying water to a large part of Málaga
province, the River Guadalhorce runs through a
narrow canyon for three kilometres which, in
some places, is only ten metres wide; this would
be nothing special if it were not for the almost
totally vertical gorge walls measuring seven
hundred metres high.
Holy Week is one of Álora’s most outstanding
celebrations where, on Maundy Thursday, two
important town brotherhoods – Jesús Nazareno
and La Dolorosa – hold a moving event in the
square named for this ritual, La Despedía (The
Goodbye). In salutation, the images bow from
their impressive thrones, to the sound of the
public shouting and cheering.
Ermita de Santa Brígida (St. Bridgette
Hermitage)
VALLE DE ABDALAJÍS
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Following the area’s Flamenco tradition, the
Festival de Cante Grande song gala is held in
July to promote and strengthen new local stars,
many ‘flamencologists’ believing Álora to be
the birthplace of Malagueñas (Málaga folk
music).
The sierra taking the town’s name impressively
rises up behind the town centre, shielding it with
a formidable limestone wall, whilst to the other
side, the landscape is much more welcoming,
with gentle hills housing abundant olive and
cereal groves. The Arroyo de las Piedras runs
through the fertile farmland here. This
geographical location, halfway between
Guadalhorce Valley and Antequera Depression,
has made Valle de Abdalajís a special stop since
man began to wander these lands; this has meant
many prehistoric remains have been found in the
area (stone axes, flint tools and ceramics).
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Álora Castle
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Tuscan columns covered with framework. There
is a dome above the Choir resting on scallops
decorated with garlands, angels and the four
evangelists. The 18th-century Virgin del Rosario
chapel is located in the Gospel nave. The severe
exterior houses a standout entry arch flanked by
pillars and a balcony finished by an episcopal
seal, and the three-section tower with dressed
mid-pillars next to this.
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The origins of the present town lie in the 16th
century when, after the first land cessions in the
distribution immediately following the Christian
conquest and Moorish expulsion, the land in
Abdalajís Valley fell into the hands of Alfonso
Pérez de Padilla y Corbos; his descendents
governed the town until 1811 (Cádiz Cortes),
although feudal policy would not actually be
abolished until 1833, when the last Count of
Corbos became an ordinary citizen, albeit with vast
estates.
The high and oldest area of town still houses
Moorish touches. The Antigua Posada (Old Inn) in
Real Street is the most characteristic structure in
local architecture, being a large 16th-century home
that has been well-restored and is considered one
of the first houses in the original town centre.
The 16th-century Condes de Corbos Palace has
a typical stately structure and is well-preserved. To
the inside it houses all ornamental and decorative
features belonging to the sixth Count of Corbos,
Isidro Mesías de Vargas.
Work on San Lorenzo (Saint Laurence) church
finalised in 1599, although it underwent major
alterations in the 18th century. It has three naves
and an altar piece on the High Altar housing a
canvas showing the image of Saint Laurence, the
town’s patron saint. The Epistle and Gospel naves
each have altars with images the local people
show great devotion to. The simple exterior has a
standout stone base embellishing the building and
a three-section bell tower crowned by a hipped
roof.
Iglesia de San Lorenzo (St. Lawrence's Church)
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Homes in Abdalajis Valley
The 4th-century Vandal invasion levelled the
Roman city, with the area remaining uninhabited
until the Moors’ arrival, to whom we owe the town’s
present name, from the Arabic Abd-el-Aziz
meaning son of Muza – the first Mohammedan to
settle in the region. It is curious to note that for the
entire time the Moors lived in the area (699 years),
no population centre sprung up, with the Muslim
population spread out on plantations and
farmsteads. The only important building from that
time was Hinz-Almara Castle – part of the
Antequera defence system – built over the remains
of an Iberian settlement, of which only a few stones
remain.
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Archaeological work has unearthed sufficient
information to state the town’s present location as
being where the Roman city of Nescania was
located, declared a Municipium Flavium in the year
70 A.D., in the Vespasian era. Around twenty-five
epigraphs also found at the digs provide
information on the town’s social life, one dedicated
to Jupiter that, in a way, testifies to there being a
temple dedicated to the god. The Peana
(Pedestal), which we will refer to below, is
dedicated to Trajan, with another making
reference to Seneca. Some sources mention at
least fifteen statues located in Nescania, highlights
being those of Seneca, Trajan and Bacchus, which
is housed in the Regional Archaeological Museum
of Málaga.
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Valle de Abdalajís (Abdalajís Valley)
Iberians, Celts, Greeks, Punics and Romans
would later leave their mark. There is evidence of
an Iberian settlement which would have come into
contact with Phoenicians and Punics, as may be
deduced from the fragments of 5th-century B.C.
Greek ceramic fragments found at the Cuero del
Castillo and El Nacimiento sites. The Cerro Pelao
site is also very interesting, some historians
relating it to the Turres Hannibalis. A small
terracotta statue of the goddess of agriculture
Demeter, a bas-relief of a bull (now destroyed)
and, specially, the 3rd-2nd-century B.C. Dama
Oferente de Abdalajís (‘Woman Making an
Offering’) are excellent examples of pre-Roman
Iberian art found in the area.
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Cristo de la Sierra Hermitage
Geography has made Valle de Abdalajís the
capital of hang-gliding and paragliding, since the
almost year-round special thermal currents
running through the area mean long flights can be
made. There are also seventy-five climbing
routes in the sierra, three rambling routes and as
many mountain bike routes making it one of the
best areas in the Málaga region to do open-air
sports.
As with most border regions, Carratraca enjoys a
varied landscape, becoming steep in the Sierra
de Alcaparaín and gentler in the Baños and
Aguas Sierras. The houses in town stick to the
sides of the Sierra Blanquilla, meaning many
nooks in the town centre provide excellent views
over the beautiful landscape.
There are remains in the area testifying to man’s
presence in the deep past – in one of the
chasms in Sierra de Alcaparaín a Copper Age
interment has been found, as well as some
paintings and ceramics. It is also known that the
Romans occupied the land, taking advantage of
the healing properties if the sulphurous waters.
Tiberius, Claudius and Caesar coins have also
been unearthed at the La Glorieta site.
In spite of these predecessors, present-day
Carratraca’s origins lie in the 19th century,
thanks to the farmstead known as Aguas
Hediondas (Dirty Waters) being extended,
where there was a spa and 18th-century chapel.
The wealth of those visiting for the healing
properties of the water led to the need for
building a new spa. Land belonging to the Count
of Teba, father of Eugenia de Montijo, was used,
in exchange for an exclusive-use bath still
preserved today.
The famous spa located in Baños Street and
opened in 1855 is a neoclassical building with a
ceramic floor patio with a small pavilion with
speckled white marble Tuscan columns framing
the healing water pool. Many well-known people
came here (the aforementioned Eugenia de
Montijo, the well-off Heredia family, Cánovas del
Castillo and the poet Lord Byron, amongst
others), making it the town’s best tourist
attraction. An estimated five thousand visitors
Carratraca Spa
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La Peana
The Peana is a large pedestal of a statue housing
an inscription to Trajan from the ancient city of
Nescania. This remarkable archaeological find
dates to 104 A.D. and was taken to Antequera in
1585 by the chief magistrate, Juan Porcel de
Peralto, to go into the Arco de los Gigantes
archaeological collection the city holds.
Fortunately, it was recovered for Valle de
Abdalajís, where it sits in a privileged location –
Plaza de San Lorenzo.
CARRATRACA
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Beata Madre Petra Convent
Perched on one of the highest areas in Valle de
Abdalajís, the Cristo de la Sierra hermitage is a
recent structure (1954), and enjoys great
popularity amongst locals, who are very devoted
to this image. It has a simple structure finished
with a traditional belfry, contrasting with the
spectacular setting seen from the adjacent
Gangarro vantage point. The pilgrimage in
honour of this figure is held in the first week of
May, attracting many of the faithful who head out
on foot from Málaga city three days earlier and
follow the route to Valle de Abdalajís.
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Another outstanding building locals are very
proud of is the Beata Madre Petra (Blessed
Mother Petra) convent, whose most recent part
has been made into a residential home for the
elderly. The oldest and noblest area, dating to the
19th century, has been given over to preserving
the rooms and tools of the founder.
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In La Glorieta Street to the northeast of town,
between the spa and bullring, is the present-day
Town Hall building, known to locals as the casa
árabe (Arab house) in clear reference to its NeoMudéjar style. It was built on the orders of
Trinidad Grund de Heredia, a member of
Málaga’s haute-bourgeoisie, towards 1885 and
was designed as a country house for herself and
her family. The complex also included a tower in
the same style providing access to the ensemble
and garden area. After restoration, the ground
floor was made into an exhibition space, the first
floor housing the Assembly Chamber and Archive
and, finally, the top floor containing municipal
offices.
and Los Murciélagos fissures. Less than a
kilometre from here, on the forest path behind the
bullring, are the ruins of the chapel Trinidad
Grund had built in honour of the town’s patron
saint, the Virgen de la Salud. The chapel was
destroyed by lightning and only a few relics
remain, but the beauty of the landscape along the
path makes it worth a visit.
Holy Week is the standout celebration in
Carratraca. The big day is Good Friday when the
Virgen de los Dolores and the image of a crucified
Jesus go out on procession. More important than
the processions at this time, however, is the
Pasión de Carratraca (Passion of Carratraca)
which, in contrast to other representations, is
carried out according to the canons of the
Eucharistic Plays and describes the life of Jesus,
from his entry into Jerusalem to the Crucifixion
and Resurrection. The staging takes place in the
bullring on Friday and Easter Saturday and
involves more that one hundred locals who, for a
few days, become impromptu actors.
Nuestra Señora de la Salud Church
ARDALES
19th-century Nuestra Señora de la Salud (Our
Lady of Health) was built over an 18th-century
hermitage and has three naves separated by
Roman arches resting on Tuscan columns. The
ceiling over the central nave is wooden and
finished in a Neo-Mudéjar style, whilst the
chancel and chapel housing the image of the
Virgin are covered by hemispherical vaults.
Carratraca City Hall
The Duende (Magic) Caves are outside the town
centre, sheltered by Alcaparaín and the Gorda
Reservoirs in the Gaitanes Canyon
Ardales’ strategic location in the county of
Guadalteba, between the Serranía de Ronda and
the Vega de Antequera, make it a migration area
enriched with the extremely varying main
characteristics of the region. In this way, there is
an unusual tourist offer since the entire region’s
resources fall fairly nearby. The most outstanding
feature in the area, however, is the natural setting
of Guadalhorce, Conde de Guadalhorce and
Guadalteba reservoirs, as well as the spectacular
Desfiladero de Gaitanes, with its dangerous
Caminito del Rey (King’s Path), an incredible
early 20th-century route that is only suitable for
the most daring adrenalin junkies. The original
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Carratraca bullring
The Coso de Carratraca (Bullring) was opened
in 1878 with a capacity of three thousand
spectators. It has two unique features: the ring is
not round but octagonal, and part of the structure
was excavated into the rock like a Greek theatre,
providing excellent acoustics!
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per year came at the end of the 19th century for
the baths, boosting the town’s economy where
locals would rent houses and spend those
seasonal months in the country. The spa is
presently being restored, with the town also
housing at that time two casinos and a curious
bullring.
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Arco de Ruinas de Bobastro (Ruinas de
Bobastro Arch)
Few towns may date their settlement to Neolithic
times, but next to the Peña in Ardales where the
Mozarab Castle and Mudéjar church perch,
prehistoric remains of an original Neolithic
hamlet – later inhabited in the Copper and
Bronze Ages – have been found. A prehistoric
necropolis from the third or second millennium
Castillo de Turón (Turón Castle)
B.C. has been found in the Aguilillas area,
between Ardales and Campillos municipalities.
Some historians point to an incipient Roman-era
town plan around where La Peña Castle stands
today. La Molina Bridge, a solid stone structure
over the River Turón, dates from the 1st century
A.D. and has survived to this day almost
unchanged.
The construction of Peña Castle corresponds to
this period, remaining under Umar ibn Hafsun’s
rule until the Cordovan caliphate conquered
Bobastro. Two walled enclosures can be seen at
the site: the irregular design exterior due to the
rough terrain and the square-plan interior, where
the stately rooms were located, with a tower at
each corner. At present, nine towers and Nasrid
It was not until the Moorish occupation in 716,
though, that the town truly began to take shape,
being known from then as Ard-Allah meaning land
or garden of God.
Mesas de Villaverde archaeological site, better
known as Ruinas de Bobastro, lies fourteen
kilometres from present-day Ardales and has a
9th-century town centre used as headquarters by
Umar ibn Hafsun during the battles with the
Cordovan Caliphate. The Mozarab cave church is
extremely interesting, excavated out of the rock
and having a basilic plan with three naves and
much accented apses – the central one being
circular and the side ones, square, with no
interconnection, meaning visitors must go into the
transept to move from one to the other. The
structure has two presently sealed entries, as well
Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Church
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Castillo de la Peña (La Peña Castle)
The first human settlements in Ardales date from
prehistoric times as seen in the bone, lithic and
artistic relics found in Doña Trinidad Grund
Cave, also known as Ardales Cave, located five
kilometres from the town centre. This large
natural cavity was discovered in 1821 and has
an interior route running over one thousand
seven-hundred metres, containing beautiful
stalactite and stalagmite formations. The most
representative areas have been called Gran Sala
(Large Room), Sala del Lago (Lake Room),
Galería del Escorpión (Scorpion Gallery), Sala
de las Manos (Hand Room) and Galería de los
Grabados (Engraving Gallery) for what they
suggest, or what is actually housed inside. The
cave has some of the most interesting rock art in
Europe, both for the varied techniques – with five
paint colours and more than eight different
engraving techniques – and the themes – since
there are examples of the four manifest themes
in Palaeolithic art: abstract symbols, hands,
human figures and animals, with the
representation of the Gran Cierva (Large Hind)
or Cierva de Ardales (Ardales Hind) painted in
black except for a red point for the heart – an
outstanding symbol of the cave and region.
as some uneven levels with a clear symbolic
purpose. It is known that apses located on a
higher level indicate greater dignity, the liturgy
being held in the central one and the side apses
serving as vestry. The lower transept has a choir
as a chancel space, the naves remaining for the
faithful. Next to the basilica are remains, several
hermitages (cells used by monks or hermits),
various tombs and observation areas, such as an
excavated tower. To the far south are the still
unexcavated remains of the citadel, the main
area of the fortress.
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tafonis (caves in small sandstone promontories)
may be seen between the gorge and the
reservoirs. When the extensive historical and
artistic heritage is added to this natural legacy of
Ardales, it truly may be seen as one of the best
examples endorsing Málaga tourism, going
beyond the bucket-and-spade offer.
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Los Remedios Church
In the high area of town next to the mediaeval
fortress is 15th-century Nuestra Señora de los
Remedios church, the most important religious
monument in town. Due to its lamentable stateof-repair, the church was practically rebuilt in
1720, although some original features are
preserved. There are three naves separated by
thick columns resting on square plinths and the
rectangular capitals have bevelled corners where
the lancet arches protrude. These Mudéjar
features, as well as the frame covering the central
nave, are original features. The square-plan
chancel is covered with a Baroque octagonal
vault separated from the central nave by a large
pointed main arch, which houses a neoclassical
shrine inside with a small polychrome wooden
Virgen de Villaverde statue. The 18th-century
chapels at the end of the side aisles are also
covered by octagonal vaults and dedicated to the
Virgen del Rosario and the Cristo de la Sangre
(Jesus of Blood). A highlight from amongst the rest
of the side chapels, and also dating to the 18th
century, is the square-plan San Isidro, built to
extend the church and covered by a hemispherical
vault on shells. Behind a Roman arch at the back
is a lavishly decorated polygonal chapel with
plasterwork fallen leaves, cherubs and pebbles.
Next to this is the rectangular-plan vestry with a
quadrant roof, linking to the High Altar via a bent
corridor. At the foot of the church is an 18th-century
elevated choir.
On the coated brick entry outside is a Roman arch
framed by pendentives supporting an entablature
where the frieze carries a 1723-dated inscription. It
houses a semicircular open pediment with a
vaulted niche between pendentives and crowned
by a curved pediment supporting an oculus. It is
rounded off with another triangular pediment
housing a cross. The entry is attributed to the
Sevillian architect Diego Antonio Díaz who worked
in the Seville diocese. Next to this is the square
brick tower, possibly built in the late 18th century
by Antonio Matías de Figueroa, the Seville
Ecclesiastical Council master builder, who also
worked on the church front in nearby Campillos.
Burial deposits
The simple prism tower structure seems to
surround an earlier construction, with the lower
sections modified by oculi for internal lighting, and
is decorated to the top part, made up of
pendentives inlaid with green glazed tiles, being
finished by an octagonal capital covered with
glazed tiles forming diamonds.
The Capuchin Convent is in the lower part of the
town centre and dates to the 17th and 18th
centuries. The building’s highlight is the Baroque
church, housing a battlement-fronted belfry.
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Ardales Municipal Museum
Ardales Municipal Museum at the entry to town
has fabulous facilities and careful museum and
exhibition criteria. The two-storey building shows
visitors the origins, ways of life and working
methods in old Ardales across six rooms. The
ground floor has two rooms given over to the
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After the conquest of Guadalquivir Valley by
Christian troops in the 13th century, Ardales
Castle, as well as the recently constructed Turón
Castle that still preserves part of its barbican and
some towers, took on new importance since the
area became the border between Castile and the
Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, with frequent
Christian incursions to conquer the area and
great interest, on behalf of the Nasrids, to
maintain control over the fortress which, itself,
would change hands on several occasions. After
the inhabitants fled in the mid-15th century, the
fortress was finally conquered by the governor of
Teba, Juan Ramírez de Guzmán, who would later
incorporate it into his estate – the origins of the
future Teba County.
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and Christian wall sections remain with great
views over the landscape able to be enjoyed from
the historic structure – a witness to the most
important events in Ardales history.
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Nearby is the reservoir area made up of Conde de
Guadalhorce, Guadalteba and Guadalhorce lakes.
The first of these was built in 1909, whilst the other
two date to the 1970s. The resulting landscape from
these reservoirs being built is extremely beautiful, as
the waters are surrounded by dense pine forests.
Nuestra Señora de Villaverde Hermitage
Ardales Park Municipal Museum, next to Conde
del Guadalhorce reservoir, exhibits archaeological
relics (Neolithic ceramics and furniture from the 2nd
millennium B.C.) and geological, flora and fauna
features from the park. Museum staff run rambling
activities with explanations on geological and water
formation in El Chorro reservoir, as well as visits to
Doña Trinidad Cave and Bobastro. The facilities are
presently being refurbished and are closed to the
public.
Nuestra Señora de Villaverde (Our Lady of
Villaverde) hermitage is one of the most
outstanding buildings in the Natural Environment, the
result of successive enlargements to the original
Mozarab church base. Throughout the years, it has
undergone gradual modifications and additions with
new features, leading to the present-day structure.
On a small spit of land to the left bank of El Chorro
reservoir is the Casa del Administrador del
Embalse Conde Guadalhorce (Conde
Guadalhorce Reservoir Administrator Building)
housing a beautiful staircase and arbour opening out
onto the water. Built by Rafael Benjumea in 1920, at
present it is used as one of the administrative offices
for the Mediterranean Basin.
CAMPILLOS
Campillos municipality spreads over a large area
of plains where the only dots on the horizon are
some small hillocks. In this vein, the land is wellsuite for farming cereal and olives. To the south,
the landscape is enriched with the Guadalteba and
Guadalhorce Reservoirs where, under the surface,
the now-disappeared town of Peñarrubia lies.
There is a complex of pools (Dulce, Salada,
Capacete, Camuñas...) near Campillos centre
spreading over a protected area covering one
thousand and six hectares and, although the
wetlands remain dry for several months a year,
their great ecological value had led to recognition
as a Nature Reserve by the Junta de Andalucía
(Regional Government) Environment Agency.
Laguna Dulce de Campillos (Dulce de
Campillos Lagoon)
Campillos excellent location between Eastern and
Western Andalusia, the Mediterranean and the
Guadalquivir, and lying equally near to Ronda,
Antequera and Osuna (a Sevillian province) has
meant people and goods passing through the area
since days of yore. prehistoric man lived in the
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Ardales natural setting is one of the most impressive
in Andalusia, at least geologically, evidenced by the
Desfiladero de los Gaitanes in El Chorro, a huge
vertical gorge reaching up to seven hundred metres
in parts. The Caminito del Rey, so-dubbed after
Alfonso XIII visited in 1921, is a narrow iron and
concrete passage along one of the gorge walls, one
hundred metres up. It is presently undergoing
restoration and, consequently, closed to the public.
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Caminito del Rey (El Rey path)
town’s origins with a large selection of
archaeological remains from the prehistoric era,
accompanied by information panels. The objects
found in Ardales Cave, the burial areas and a
ceramic weight loom are a highlight. The upper
floor houses a room dedicated to classical and
mediaeval archaeology, with relics attributed to
Tartessians, Phoenicians, Iberians, Romans,
Visigoths, Mozarabs and Nasrids. A further two
rooms exhibit ethnographic materials, such as 20thcentury farming and artisan equipment and tools.
There is a last room dedicated to its sister town of
Blanes (Gerona), showing the social relations
established between Ardales émigrés and the area.
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Recently in 1975, the area belonging to
Peñarrubia municipality was added to Campillos,
this village having disappeared under
Guadalhorce Reservoir. On the north shore of the
reservoir is a settlement presently being excavation.
This complex dating from distinct eras and different
types belongs to Iberian and Visigoth cultures and
provides interesting information on the human
population on the river terraces at the foot of the
Sierra de Peñarrubia.
San Benito Hermitage
Nuestra Señora del Reposo (Our Lady of Rest)
church is the most remarkable building in town,
dating from the 16th century but having been
remodelled in the 18th and 19th centuries. The
magnificent Baroque front is one of the most
interesting and striking in all Antequera region.
The inside is split into three naves with lavishly
decorated chapels. The pinewood High Altar
stands out with eight Ionic columns presided over
by the image of the Virgin – a notable work
following 17th-century Granada School lines. The
multi-section tower lies outside, the last housing
the bells, finished by a balustrade and pyramid
roof covered with ceramic slates. The bell tower
also has a clock from 1631 made by Antequera
Carmelite Friar Miguel del Santísimo Sacramento.
As in other Málaga towns, Campillos has two
simple structures rounding off the historical and
artistic route around the area: the hermitages of
San Benito (Saint Benedict), the town’s patron
saint and built in the 17th century, although
remodelled in the 18th century, and that of San
Sebastián, financed by local farmers in the 17th
century.
Holy Week in Campillos is very important, even at
regional level. The celebration originates in the
16th century although there were processions as
far back as 1492. There are five brotherhoods but,
perhaps, Santo Entierro y María Santísima de las
Angustias (Holy Burial and Mary Most Holy of
Angst) best exemplifies the town’s processions.
The silent entry into a darkened Plaza de España
on Good Friday, only broken by the church funeral
bells, heightens public sorrow and transports us to
divine Jerusalem where people secretly mourn
their prophet.
Iglesia de La Inmaculada Concepción
(Immaculate Conception Church)
SIERRA DE YEGUAS
The Sierra de Yeguas area lies on the border
between Málaga and Seville provinces occupying
a large extension where the landscape has
pleasant forms matching the terrain approaching
Sevillian country.
The first human settlements in the municipality
date back to Neolithic times, as seen in some
polished stone objects found in the area. Its
Roman past is also seen at several digs near the
town, with the remains of some villas at Peñuela
and La Herriza farmsteads and those of old
thermal baths at the so-called Cortijo de San José
at Haza de Estepa. These digs, however, are not
open to the public.
There is no further information about the area’s
history after the Roman era until 1549, when the
town came under Estepa authority. It was, in fact,
part of Seville province until the 19th century.
Sierra de Yeguas
The Sierra de Yeguas has little uneven terrain,
meaning the town centre is ideal for visitors to
stroll around with clear, tidy streets where the
whitewash houses are a highlight, having bars on
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Nuestra Señora del Reposo Church
In spite of all of this, the first information on
present-day Campillos’ origin point to 1492 when
the town was founded by people from Teba and
Osuna, under the repopulation policy of the
Catholic Monarchs. Not long after, in the second
half of the 16th century, the population increased
so much that the centre had to be extended,
albeit in a more orderly fashion by designing the
new streets in straight lines. In this way,
Campillos surpassed Teba in number of
inhabitants, which held authority over the town
until 1680 when it was awarded a town charter.
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area, as evidenced by the Neolithic relics found,
although most excavations in the municipality are
Roman, such as the villa and thermal baths at
Capacete, the necropolis at Cortijo de la Cuesta,
Castillones or Castillón de Gobantes towns.
Furthermore, three capitals belonging to a Visigoth
enclave have been unearthed at Moralejo.
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Estrella de Teba Castle
The most notable structure in town is the
Inmaculada
Concepción
(Immaculate
Conception) parish church, with its stone entry
finished by an open pediment. The choir and
porch, as well as the remains of an 18th-century
chapel, are the most outstanding features. The
highlight outside is the two-section tower, the
belfry being finished by a sharp pyramidal capital
covered with glazed slate.
Within the Sierra de Yeguas area, in
Navahermosa district, is a simple church
harbouring the small town’s religious fervour. The
church has a slim tower with a blue glazed tile
pyramidal roof capturing visitors’ attention.
TEBA
Manors and estates in Teba
Attegua’s capitulation in 45 B.C. The town is also
mentioned by Hirtius, the chronicler of the battle
of Munda, and even by Suetonius, a Roman
historian (1st-2nd century A.D.), author of the
famous Lives of the Twelve Caesars.
Nonetheless, these major historical descriptions
do not match the scarce Roman remains found in
Teba la Vieja: just a part of the castle structure, a
few Vespanian coins and some pieces of
amphorae and clay pots.
Muslim settlement in the area meant the town
moved from its origin spot, Teba la Vieja, to the
present location known first as Ostipo and then as
Ostebba, giving way to the present town name.
The Moors strengthened and extended the old
Roman fortress, using it as a defensive bastion
until the city was conquered on 20th January
1389 by Alfonso XI of Castile, as recorded by
Juan de Mariana in his The General History of
Spain.
In the centre of the borough is the village of Teba,
surrounded by San Cristobál, La Camorra, El
Camorrillo and El Castillo Hills. The latter houses
strategically important La Estrella Castle,
overlooking a vast expanse of terrain with
remains found in Las Palomas and El Pilarejo
Caves (stone and bronze tools) showing this
Málaga terrain housed human settlements in the
far past.
Contrary to events in other areas where, due to
sieges or agreed interests, towns passed backand-forth between Muslims and Christians, Teba
did not fall back into Moorish hands, in spite of
being besieged on more than one occasion,
especially in the time of Juan II. One of the most
important of the many historical events the town
has seen took place in the battle Alfonso XI fought
with Muslims during the capture of the castle: one
of the soldiers was Sir James Douglas, knight of
Robert I of Scotland. This fact is commemorated
on a tombstone still found in Teba and sent from
the Scottish town of Melrose by the valiant
knight’s descendents. For this reason, the
Scottish town and Teba are twinned.
During the Roman occupation, when the town
was known as Attegua, there were civic battles
between Caesar’s and Pompey’s followers, as
evidenced by Caesar’s own description of
Teba town centre has been declared an Artistic
Historical Site and houses several palaces and
stately homes in a typically Andalusian layout,
such as the 16th century home of Empress
Palacete del Marqués de Greñina (Marquess
of Greñina Estate)
Castillo de la Estrella (La Estrella Castle)
Iglesia de la Santa Cruz Real (Royal Holy
Cross Church)
.
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232
Plaque to Kind Robert I of Scotland in Teba
The Teba area covers from Guadalteba Reservoir
to the south until the northern border with Málaga
and Seville regions, coming to a small apex. In
general, the land is slightly ridged and covered
mostly by cereal and olive groves.
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the window and wrought-iron gates on the doors,
a clear stamp of popular Andalusian architecture.
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Almargen
Almargen
Built between 1699 and 1715 by the master
builder of Seville Cathedral, José Tirado, Santa
Cruz Real church is the most remarkable
religious monument in Teba. The basilic-plan
interior houses three naves with outstanding tall
red marble sculpted columns from El Torcal de
Antequera. The entry has a Roman arch and the
tower is finished with a small graceful pyramidal
roof. A visit to this church is rounded off by Teba
Parish Museum exhibiting religious art. The
museum houses an excellent collection of thirteen
chalices, the oldest one being in a Plateresque style,
alongside historical robes including a suit of Isabella
the Catholic, with its rain hood, bonnet, chasuble and
dalmatic. There are also editions of books, the most
interesting being a 1679 Misale Romanum, and
lastly, what is undoubtedly the star piece of the
Only the beautiful Mannerist entry to the old 15th
century San Francisco Convent survives today
which, today, is a municipal sports centre.
There are also two welcoming hermitages – 16thcentury Nuestra Señora del Carmen, in Carreras
Street, housing the Hermandad del Carmen in the
beautiful traditional interior and the recently built
Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, housing the
Hermandad del Nazareno.
ALMARGEN
Almargen, a land of farmland and soft undulations
except in the area closest to the Serranía de
Ronda, where it is more rugged, is the perfect spot
for farming – something the first settlers knew how
to exploit. Human occupation dates to Neolithic
times with several digs confirming settlements in
the Copper and Bronze Age and during the
Iberian, Roman and Islamic periods. Accessed via
a route of lanes, El Almirón artificial cave
necropolis is a highlight, with the keenest visitors
able see valuable cultural relics, such as a hidden
phallic idol, a Bronze Age engraved stele or an
example of the first prehistoric swords on request.
The Archaeology Room in Teba is found in the Town
Hall building, with the Neolithic finds from Las
Palomas Cave, dating to the third and second
millennium B.C., ceramic relics from Castillejos
(Argaric ceramics from around 2,000 B.C., Punic and
Iberian pieces), and the Roman remains found at El
Tajo dig, where the main pieces are a bust of Tiberius
Caesar and Julius Tiberius Claudius Nero highlights
in the collection.
There is presently a Local Government project
underway to excavate and recover the Iberian site at
Cerro de los Castillejos, rebuilding cabins and town
walls still in place, and promoting the establishment
of an archaeological Visitors Centre.
One of the greatest landscapes in the area, the Tajo
del Molino, is in the Sierra de Peñarrubia. This gorge
has been carved by the River Venta over thousands
of years to make a way between the strong
limestone rocks blocking the water. Thanks to its
singular beauty, the ecologically fascinating spot has
been put forward as a Natural Monument by Málaga
County Council Environment Department. Following
the river’s course, we get to another natural paradise
in the area, Guadalteba Reservoir.
Almargen
.
.
234
Almargen
La Estrella Castle, declared a National Artistic
Historical Monument in 1931, is the best example
of the town’s legendary importance and is located
on the hill bearing the same name, some six
hundred metres above sea level. This fantastic
hillock enjoys not only views over the town at its
feet but also the wide plain at the entry to the
Serranía de Ronda. The Roman fort was
extended by the Moors and covers an area
measuring twenty-five thousand square metres
with two walled enclosures. The barbicanstrengthened exterior has eighteen towers plus
an additional octagonal parapet, with the inside
complex housing the fortress and Lord’s
chambers, which have undergone many
extensions and modifications over the successive
years of occupation. At present, the Torre de
Homenaje (the keep), large sections of the
bastion and the spectacular Patio de Las Armas
(arsenal) are preserved.
silverware collection, although not on display in the
exhibition rooms but on the High Altar in the church:
a16th-century engraved gold-plated processional
cross attributed to the Sevillian goldsmith Alfaro.
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Eugenia de Montijo, with its original
Renaissance façade, or the 19th-century palace
of the Marquess of Greñina.
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Cañete La Real
After the Romanisation of the area, which in the
Antequera region was specially intensive, there is
a gap in the town’s history until after Moorish rule,
with only the area’s name and some ceramics in
the valley formed by the Corbones and Almargen
rivers remaining from this era. Once the area was
conquered by Christian troops, the town’s
historical development closely follows nearby
towns.
Torre de Viján (Viján Tower)
Located in the municipality, Arroyo Salado
begins in Casa Blanca and, although it lacks
volume, has a high iodine level giving it medicinal
properties. The miraculous waters – specially
recommended for illnesses related to the digestive
system or various degenerative bone diseases –
gush through this beautiful enclave. Advantage
was taken of its healing power in the Roman era,
with remains of ancient thermal baths being found
in the area. The water’s salinity is lost when it
reaches the River Almargen which, in turn, feeds
into La Venta River, finally flowing into Guadalteba
Reservoir.
CAÑETE LA REAL
Although there are remains showing human
settlement in prehistoric times, the town’s
proven origin dates to the Iberian era, where
there was a township on a nearby hillock to
present-day Cañete town centre, known as
Sabora to the Phoenicians (coming from ebura,
cereal) for the extensive cereal crops in the
area.
The Roman era is much better documented
thanks to the many archaeological digs in the
area. It is known that the town changed
location in 78 A.D., the earlier settlement in
Cerro de la Horca, being very distant from
farming lands and suffering from strong winds.
Emperor Vespasian authorised the town’s
transfer with the habitants, in thanks, minting
coins and erecting statues in his honour.
The Visigoths confined themselves to
developing farming in the area with King Witiza
granting the title of Royal to the municipality, a
title it regained after the town’s conquest by
Alfonso XI.
Santísimo Sacramento Convent
be seen in the town centre, such as Priego or
Castillejo (12th century), Ortegical, Viján and
Atalayón.
Some of the most interesting artistic and
historical heritage is located in the municipality
with more than one hundred archaeological
sites from different eras and half a dozen
buildings dating from between the 15th and
18th centuries. A highlight is 15th-century San
Sebastián parish church, rebuilt in the 18th
century, having a three-nave interior with
quadrant vaults, alongside the Virgen del
Cañosanto chapel dedicated to the town’s
patron saint. Next to the exposed-brick tower
finished with a ceramic roof with geometrical
drawings outside is the outstanding Baroque
entry, framed by buttresses and a graceful
belfry atop. Next to the church is a small
cloister.
.
.
The town’s name comes from the Arabic Hins
Qanit, which according to some historians
means Qanit castle whilst, for others, makes
reference to the channels still present in some
areas of town. It is true that construction on
this vast fortress began in the 9th century,
terminating in the 16th, making it one of the
most important during Umar ibn Hafsun’s
uprising and during the Christian and Granada
wars. Throughout the 14th century, the area
changed hands between Muslims and
Christians meaning that, after so many battles,
the fortress was practically destroyed. It is
presently being restored and houses a large
keep. Some mediaeval defensive towers may
236
Near the main square is 16th-century Inmaculada
Concepción parish church, although it was
renovated in the following century. The Mudéjar
frame covering the central nave and chancel is a
highlight, as are the artistically valuable 16thcentury Gothic slabs behind the High Altar. The
beautiful Mannerism entry finished with a Baroque
belfry excels to the exterior.
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The arrival of the Phoenicians saw the area’s first
economic boom, especially thanks to the transport
link set up between Tartessians and Menace.
Years later, Romans built the Via XI linking
Antikaria and Acinipo, which also passed through
Almargen. Remains of Roman baths in the Sierra
de Cañete la Real and a fascinating necropolis in
the Sierra de Rebollo have been found.
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CUEVAS DEL BECERRO
Cuevas del Becerro
There is little documentation detailing the Muslim
period, although the ruins of a mediaeval fort are
at Cerro del Castillón. It is known that the town
was conquered by Alfonso XI of Castile in 1330
during the second campaign against the Moors,
where Teba, Ardales, Cañete, Priego and
Ortejícar fell.
The parish archive holds documents from the
18th century, when the terrain where the town is
now located belonged to the Marchioness of
Cuevas del Becerro and Benamejí.
Popular tradition refers more to legend than
history with regards to the town’s name, with two
versions no less anecdotal: one concerning the
find of a golden calf in one of the area’s cave and,
the other, simply concerning a calf trapped in one
of the caves and found due to the moans the poor
animal was making.
Visitors will discover the Mozarab design and
some town features fitting perfectly with the hill
country homes on their stroll through town.
San Antonio Abad (Saint Anthony the Abbot)
church is worth a visit, being a simple early 20thcentury structure with a single nave and standout
belfry.
It was, however, the Romans who left the most
interesting evidence of their stay, as may be seen
in Casas de las Villas, a site under the town’s
football ground containing stuccos, tesseras and
imperial-era coins. The most outstanding Roman
find has been an oil villa that also produced
pottery, where two kilns and part of a third are
preserved. The town council is presently following
careful procedures to recover and study these
interesting relics, as well as setting up a Visitors
Centre bringing together and showing this
important legacy.
San Antonio Abad Church
.
.
238
This area is no exception amongst the others with
regards to the first human settlers, especially
since its location and land features make it an
ideal natural spot for the movement of people and
goods between Ronda and Antequera regions.
Consequently, prehistoric remains have been
found around Cerro del Castillón, in the northeastern area of Cerro de las Palomas and next to
the Fuente del Zorro.
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Cañete la Real also has two convent buildings
forming part of its generous religious
architecture: 17th-century San Francisco
Convent with magnificent plasterwork, and the
18th-century enclosed Carmelite Nun
Santísimo Sacramento Convent with a
single-nave church covered by a quadrant
vault. On the Epistle side, to the exterior, are
some standout cylindrical buttresses; the entry
has Tuscan pendentives marking out the
access arch, finished with a slit pediment
bearing the Carmelite seal. As for civic
architecture, the splendid façades on some
17th-, 18th- and 19th-century buildings are a
highlight.
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Barba, recognised as the most important from
Roman Málaga: thermal baths, villas, sculptures,
ceramics, mosaics, column shafts and capitals
have been unearthed recently around the
Antequera area, reaffirming its ancient splendour.
aNTEQUERA:
A CULTURAL
CROSSROADS
The first settlers in the area left behind important
archaeological heritage: Viera, Menga and Romeral Dolmens and colossal Bronze and Copper Age
funereal structures. It is thought that, from this time on, the area was never deserted, being located at the
natural crossroads between Alta and Baja Andalusia making Iberian, Tartessian, Phoenician and
Carthaginian settlements possible. Relics left by the latter have been found in Cerro León, where the battle
between Hasdrubal Carthaginains and Roman legions seemingly took place.
The town’s present name comes from the Romans, derived from the ancient Antikaria which, years later,
would be preserved by the conquering Arabs in the 8th century under the command of Abdelaziz Ben
Muza. There are numerous remains in Antequera itself and the nearby cities of Arastepi and Singilia
Antequera Alcazaba
After receiving some royal privileges, Antequera
began to experience some growth, reaching its
height in the second half of the 16th century and,
in a way, lasting into the 18th. In that time, the
town enjoyed extraordinary artistic heritage
(especially churches and convents but, also,
outstanding civic structures) that shapes the old
town’s present aspect.
The town was decimated in the early 19th century
by a yellow fever epidemic and the Napoleonic
invasion, but soon acquired a powerful
bourgeoisie via the strong textile industry that
invigorated social and economic life. This
powerful industrial sector diminished in the 20th
century, with the town only prospering again in
the last thirty years of the century thanks to a
good transport network with the rest of Andalusia.
Plaza de San Sebastián (St. Sebastian Plaza)
Any route may be taken to admire the town
centre’s great artistic and monumental richness
since there is almost a non-stop array of
monuments.
Plaza de San Sebastián is one of the best spots
to start a monumental visit around Antequera.
The centre of this quiet space houses a
Renaissance fountain designed by Pedro
Machuca in 1545. The Plateresque-fronted San
La Encarnación Convent
.
.
240
Antequera. A Cultural Crossroads
13.
As
we
approach
this
emblematic city,
we catch sight of
the surrounding
extensive ochre
and green soaked
plain. To the right
is the whimsical
Peña
de
los
Enamordos, with its
legendary story of
impossible tragic love,
to the front, gentle hills
hardly demarcating the
plain’s expanse and, to the
left, under the crest of El
Torcal, the white town centre
housing Christian towers and
Arab walls, with top-class
monumental treasures.
The Moors expanded and strengthened the city,
building the Alcazaba and surrounding the
Medina with a wall; this made it a strategic spot
after the fall of Seville and Jaén to Christian
troops who, under the command of Infante
Fernando, finally entered Antequera in 1410.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Palacio de los Marqueses de la Peña (Palace
of the Marquesses de la Peña)
Santa Eufemia Convent and Church
Access to Plaza de las Descalzas is on Nájera
Street and Las Barbacanas Hill, owing its name
to the religious order once occupying the singular
Baroque-fronted San José Convent. The
Descalzas Convent Museum is located inside,
where visitors may appreciate artistically valuable
pieces such as the bust of the Madonna by Pedro
de Mena or the Virgin of Bethlehem, one of the
best sculptures in the museum and attributed to
Luisa Roldán, known as ‘La Roldana’.
Magnificent 16th- to 18th-century canvasses by
painters such as Antonio Mohedano, Luca
Giordano or the Mexcan artist Antonio Torres –
amongst others – may also be admired.
Furthermore, there is an abundance of urns and
cases filled with silverware pieces – a marvellous
ensemble of Cordovan filigrees being a highlight.
Madre Carmen del Niño Jesús Street is the next
stop from here. Visitors immediately see the
Mudéjar-Renaissance façade on the Castilian
royal palace of the Marquesses of La Peña, with
two corner towers serving as lookouts. This is
followed by La Victoria Convent which houses a
beautiful eighteenth-century central-plan church
based on a Roman model. This model is also the
basis for the church at Santa Eufemia Convent
in Belén Street, although in a less orthodox
fashion. It is necessary to take Carrera Street to
Plaza de Santiago to get there, dominated by the
double porched church bearing the same name
that lies near Belén Convent and its 18th-century
church whose interior stands out due to the
exhuberent polychrome gilded plasterwork.
The Puerta de Granada, at the end of Belén
Street, was built in the 18th century and bears the
seals of Antequera and Fernando VI. It is just a
short stroll from here to the dolmens of Menga
(2,500 B.C.), Viera (2,000 B.C.) and Romeral
(1,800 B.C.), all extremely important funereal
structures.
Antequera dolmens are Megalithic structures
(made with large stones) used for collective
burials. The builders were inhabitants in the first
settlements on the plain, where they took
advantage of the fertile lands irrigated by the
River Guadalhorce. These communities practised
Puerta de Granada (Granada Gate)
.
.
242
Ephebo of Antequera
Next to the church is La Encarnación Convent,
housing a 16th-century church. Granada-style
Mudéjar may be seen in the ceilings to the single
nave, where the considerably tall chancel rises in
the centre. The 18th-century Baroque Palacio de
Nájera, with its outstandingly beautiful viewing
tower, is located in the square next door and has
been the Municipal Museum since 1966. It has
eight rooms across two floors based around a
cloister-patio: the archaeology section houses
prehistoric pieces and major Roman epigraphy
and sculpture including the standout Efebo de
Antequera
(Antequera
Ephebos),
an
extraordinary 1st-century A.D. bronze sculpture
considered one of the best Roman sculptures in
Spain by experts; the Fine Arts section is made
up of a large collection of religious art with
paintings by Antonio Mohedano, Pedro A.
Bocanegra and Juan Correa and several
sculptures including the magnificent Saint Francis
of Assisi (1663) by Pedro de Mena. There is also
a marvellous collection of silverware from the
16th, 17th and 18th centuries as well as splendid
processional and religious equipment from the
Virgen del Socorro and Virgen del Rosario
Brotherhoods. The museum is rounded off by a
selection of contemporary art shown in the room
dedicated to the local artist Cristóbal Toral.
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Sebastián Collegiate Church, designed by Diego
de Vergara, also dates to this time. The early
18th-century stylised brick tower is the highest in
the city, with the inside being a true painting and
sculpture museum.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Puerta de Málaga (Málaga City Gate)
Menga Dolmen is a large structure of stones
placed in three vertical rows: twenty making up
the walls, three in the centre as support pillars,
five as a roof and three as a façade. In total,
thirty-one stones make up this impressively large
monument.
Around Plaza de San Francisco, there area
notable examples of aristocratic homes, such as
Casa del Barón de Sabasona, an interesting
structure with a typically local façade-frame,
and the Baroque-fronted Casa de los Colarte –
presently under the patronage of the county
council – which has become a house-museum
and accommodation for illustrious people.
The Cuesta de los Rojas heads down from
Plaza de las Descalzas to Plaza del Carmen
and Carmen Street. The 16th/17th-century
church of the same name is located here –
once attached to a now-disappeared convent –
and houses a noteworthy Mudéjar framework
alongside a special Churrigueresque altar
piece on the incredibly complex High Altar. A
Gothic virgin, donated by the Catholic
Monarchs to the also disappeared El Salvador
church-mosque, is an addition to the church’s
artistic collection.
The stairs leading off Plaza del Carmen go to
Postigo de la Estrella, where a slope heads up
Póstigo de la Estrella (Star Gate)
.
.
Iglesia del Carmen (Carmen Church)
Romeral Dolmen was also discovered by the
Viera brothers in 1905, about one kilometre from
the former, and has a twenty-three metre corridor
covered by flat stones and giving accessing to a
large circular-plan chamber or Tholos. There is a
hollow at the end giving access to a small room
closed at the back by a large stone, before which
is a smaller one used as an altar. This dolmen is
smaller than the others but it does have a truly
notable feature: the side walls are made from
superimposed small stones which get narrower
as they get higher, so that they take on a
trapezoidal shape in the corridor and
Returning from the dolmen complex, before
arriving once again at Plaza de las Delcazas and
following Cristo de los Avisos Street, a visit to the
Real Convento de San Zoilo (Saint Zoilus Royal
Convent) is essential, founded by the Catholic
Monarchs in the 16th century on late-Gothic lines.
Apart from the interesting Mudéjar coffered ceiling
over the central nave, the church also houses the
images of Cristo Verde (Green Christ), Jesús
Nazareno de la Sangre (Jesus of Nazareth of the
Blood) and a beautiful altar piece – all admirable
Renaissance pieces.
to Plaza de Santa María in the high part of
town. The architectural ensemble is shaped by
Santa María la Mayor (Saint Mary Major)
Collegiate church, near to which some remains
of Roman thermal baths, the Alcazaba and the
Arco de los Gigantes (Arch of Giants) have
been found.
244
There was a second dolmen discovered by the
Viera brothers in 1903 just a few metres away, to
whom it owes its name. Formed by a twenty
metre corridor of twenty-seven stones,
archaeologists believe it originally had more,
reaching a length of twenty-five metres to access
the burial chamber. The latter is prismatical and
covered by a five metre slab. The corridor is
covered by four stones, although perhaps by six
originally.
hemispherical in the two chambers, closed by
large stones. The result of this is a false dome
that may boast of being the first known example
of architecture in Europe.
CONVENTION BUREAU
extensive farming and grazing in structures,
hierarchical groups benefiting from early metal
use – first copper and, then, bronze. Alongside
the appearance of metallurgy, there are some
changes to social and economic lifestyles, as well
as spiritualism and religion, with the veneration of
death taking on importance and collective burial
prevailing. The monumental structures were built
to bury the dead alongside primitive funerary
offerings.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Facing the Colegiata is the 1585 Arco de los
Gigantes, whose original decoration included
Roman plaques and pieces, some of which
disappeared, leading to the remainder being
replaced by copies so as to save the originals.
San Juan Bautista (St. John the Baptist)
Once outside the fortress enclosure, we head back
to the Arco de los Gigantes and continue along Los
Herradores Street to get to Plaza del Portichuelo that
houses the unique chapel-gallery Virgen del
Socorro (Our Lady of Succor), in a Baroque twosection portico finished by another smaller section.
Next to this original spot is Santa María de Jesús
(Saint Mary of Jesus) church where said image –
one of Antequera Holy Week’s most popular and
loved – is worshipped.
Also heading down from Plaza del Portchuelo on
Cuesta Real slope, visitors get to the 16th-century
Mannerist San Juan Bautista (Saint John the
Baptist) church, where the image of Cristo de la
Salud y de las Aguas (Jesus of Health and Water) is
worshipped. Álvaro de Oviedo Street is a steep walk
to De Pasillas Street housing the beautiful Manneristfronted Marquesses of Las Escalonias Palace. A
short hop ahead is Santo Domingo church (12th18th century) preserving an artistic Mudéjar
polychrome coffered ceiling. The high altarpiece
niche houses the Virgen de la Paz Coronada
(Crowned Our Lady of Peace) with a further chapel
housing the Virgen del Rosario.
Antequera Bullring
The route continues on the Cuesta de la Paz slope
to Plaza de San Sebastián where another route may
be started, taking Infante Don Fernando Street
towards the Alameda de Andalucía and the 19thcentury Bullring, one of the prettiest in Andalusia
and housing the Municipal Bullfighting Museum on
the top floor. On a stroll through the three exhibition
rooms, visitors will gain a wide vision of Spanish
bullfighting in general and, especially, from the local
area. The collection brings together a major
photographic and journalistic archive on bullfighting
topics, posters, heads from bull fought in historic
fights, the most outstanding bullfighters’ suits, as well
as a graphic series of one hundred and twelve 19th
century plates and some thirty glass paintings.
The first section of Infante Don Fernando houses
San Agustín convent, finished mid-16th century.
Iglesia de San Agustín (St. Augustine's
Church)
.
.
246
Alcazaba and Peñón de los Enamorados
A visit to the citadel is a must before leaving the
area, located on Antequera’s highest point and
enjoying the best panoramic view over the city and
setting. The structure was begun in the 11th
century, although most of the walls and two towers
still preserved date from the 14th century. The main
tower is the Homenaje (keep) and the interior areas
are covered with cloister vaults, except for one which
has a wooden roof. The 16th-century Torre de
Papabellotas was built on the former with a bell to
mark irrigation times in the plain. The Torre Blanca
(White Tower) houses rooms over two floors and
links to the Torre del Homenaje via the rampart. A
second wall towards the south took shape from the
Torre Blanca where the Puerta de Málaga lies, an
elegant tower with a horshoe arch that was used as
a chapel after the Christian conquest known as
Virgen de la Esperanza.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Arco de los Gigantes (Arch of the Giants)
The Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor
was the first Renaissance church to be built in
Andalusia (1530-1550) and whose monumental
façade is one of the symbols to best represent
Antequera. It has three arches divided by
buttresses and is finished with pinnacles, with
the three naves covered by Mudéjar frames
separated by thick Ionic columns lending the
interior a decidedly Roman air. The grammar
chair, giving rise to the the Golden Age
Antequera poetic group, was founded here, the
best known member being Pedro Espinosa,
who is remembered with a statue located in the
square.
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TOURIST BOARD &
The Town Hall is in the same street and was
acquired by the Town Council in 1845, having been
a former Third Franciscan convent. Behind the 20thcentury neo-Baroque front, the building has a
splendid courtyard – the former cloister – and an
artistic marble staircase. Lastly, the Nuestra Señora
de los Remedios convent is next to the Town Hall
and has an outstanding Baroque altarpiece with
Solomonic columns in the chancel paying homage to
the 16th-century Virgen de los Remedios, the patron
saint of Antequera.
The municipality has two firms also housing
exhibition spaces inside – the Caserío San Benito
Restaurant with objects related to ancient
customs and traditions, and the Museo de
Hojiblanco, an olive cooperative where
alongside the three ancient mills on display (1st,
17th and 19th centuries), also shows ancient
extraction techniques for the precious olive liquid.
This space also serves as recognition of olive oil
culture, a way of making and appreciating the
product that has lasted for hundreds of years in
the area.
Heading up La Tercia, Cantarero and Laguna
Streets near the convent, visitors come across
magnificent examples of civic palatial
architecture, such as the Casa del Conde de
Pinofiel, one of the best preserved Baroque civic
buildings in town, Los Serrailler Palace – with an
admirable neo-Baroque style – and Villadarías,
housing a three-section entry in El Torcal red
limestone.
Fourteen kilometres from the town centre, in the
municipality, is amazingly beautiful El Torcal
Nature Reserve, with an Alpine fold that raised
sea floors to form a Sierra. For millions of years,
the wind and water have moulded the rocks and
made them into a fantastic collection of the most
original and diverse shapes whose resemblance
to actual features depends on visitors: castles,
cathedrals, screw-shaped columns, monsters...
Tomillo del Torcal Natural Monument
Visitors have two clear routes to move around
this extraordinary twelve square kilometre karstic
setting. One is best for a quick visit, whilst the
other is a more studied route to get to know some
of the fauna and flora in this amazing setting.
Hojiblanca Museum
.
.
Tower of the Government Palace
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The chancel in the church has Gothic fan vaulting,
but the coffered ceiling over the nave designed by
Siloe was unfortunately replaced in the 18th century
for a Mannerist roof.
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TOURIST BOARD &
a ROUTE THROUGH
The visit around Antequera region – the Bandit
route – is done over two days, with an additional
third, allowing us to discover the magnificent
heritage.
The municipalities of Mollina, Humilladero,
Fuente de Piedra, Alameda, Cuevas Bajas,
Cuevas de San Marcos, Villanueva de Algaidas
and Villanueva de Tapia will be covered the first
day. From Antequera, take the A-92, known as
the Seville-Granada main road, to the towns of
Mollina, Humilladero and, lastly, Fuente de
Piedra. Once having visited these areas, head
towards Alameda on the MA-701: if you have a
mixed or all-terrain vehicle, when you get to the
district of Los Carvajales – belonging to
Humilladero – you can take a dirt road to Laguna de
El Tempranillo Residence
.
.
A Route Through Bandit Territory
BANDIT TERRITORY
RECOMMENDED ROUTE:
250
The region has been a
transit area since the distant
past, but has also seen settlers
– the first leaving behind
unquestionable heritage such as the
dolmenic burial sites, alongside the
marks other ancient and mediaeval
civilisations have made on the land. Modernity and
Christianity have also bequeathed marvellous heritage, especially in architecture, as most of the churches and
convents date from this era. However, the Contemporary Era introduced a new order and clear signs of social
change that took effect throughout the 19th century – the great estates, inherited from the extensive feudal
estates of the past, were still in the hands of a few and, alongside the first mechanisation of farming tasks, left
the working class – mostly farmers – in an extremely precarious situation. These circumstances marked a rupture
with social norms forcibly imposed by the State and the dominant class it supported, hastening fairer demands
which, occasionally, meant survival itself. The figure of the bandit appeared out of this situation. Vindicated by
Romantic literature, for some, these characters were troublemakers and undesirables whereas, for others, they
were heroes fighting for freedom.
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14.
Antequera
region is a
crossroads of
cultures – a
meeting point,
where
the
generous setting
of fertile farmland
and impregnable
hills is, above all, an
essential stop and
perfect route linking
upper and lower
Andalusia.
The wide plain is protected by a formidable line of
rocky mountains – the last spurs of the Cordillera
Penibética mountain range – which were a
marvellous place of constant passage for people and
goods encouraging attacks by highwaymen and
bandits. Once the attacks were over, the robbers
would seek refuge in the sierra’s endless network of
shelters and caves. The most emblematic of these
characters was José María Hinojosa, also known
as El Tempranillo (The Early Bird), whose days
were ended by El Barberillo (The Little Barber) in
Alameda, where his tomb can be found. His fellow
adventurers – Joaquín Ferrete from Sierra Yeguas,
Cristóbal Delgado from Écija, Julián and Senen from
Mollina, El Chato de Benamejí (The Shortman of
Benamejí), etc. put the government and Málaga,
Sevillian and Cordovan authorities into check on
many occasions; the generous rewards paid for any
information leading to or helping in their arrest merely
having the opposite desired effect, increasing the
bandits’ fame and valour amongst everyday folk.
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TOURIST BOARD &
MOLLINA
A lot of this large Antequera region may be seen
as the other side of Málaga province; in this way,
there is less uneven terrain as opposed to the
unending abrupt large altitudes and deep gullies
in the vast mountain ranges.
Mollina lies in this flatland, where the only
appreciable uneven spot is the modestly high
Sierra bearing the same name. Mollina area is,
then, a great spot for olive and cereal fields, as
well as the recent vineyards planted a few
decades ago that provide recognised quality
wines having boosted the area’s economy.
The first settlers in what is now present-day
Mollina municipality inhabited caves located in the
Sierra de Camorra, just six kilometres from the
present town centre. This Neolithic settlement left
interesting ceramic relics and schematic cave art.
There are also two interesting Roman settlements
at Castellum and Mausoleo. Castellum de
Santillán, four kilometres from the town centre, is
a one thousand four-hundred square metre
Roman settlement with structures seen from two
phases: the first, dating from the 1st and 2nd
century A.D., holds the remains of a rustic villa
belonging to a rich family and housing two wells
with rooms running off two large rectangular
rooms. The second phase or level dates to the 3rd
century A.D. and was built on the previous
structure; it is a square-plan walled fortification
with towers on each corner. At present, the
relevant authorities are planning to set up an
Archaeological Park bringing together the
recovery, protection and promotion of these major
remains.
The other Roman settlement of Mausoleo is
located in a private estate nine kilometres from
town, at the foot of the Sierra de la Camorra. The
site is a rectangular-base stone funeral monument
with a burial crypt and an upper floor for the
veneration of the dead. The house-style structure
has ornamental scaling on the base of the walls,
typical of a Roman temple podium, as the
mausoleums at this time followed several styles:
tower, temple or house shapes. Ceramic
fragments (earthenware jars and plates) have
been found nearby.
Castellum de Santillán Archaeological Site
The present town centre’s origins date to the 16th
century when the Council of Antequera shared
the land belonging to the so-called Cortijo de la
Ciudad or de la Villa (City or Town Farmhouse) in
1575, which was later turned into La Ascensión
convent. It is presently abandoned, but a bell
arch door with a projecting keystone may still be
seen on the main enclosure façade, between
pendentives finished with Baroque-style
pyramidal pinnacles (18th century). The courtyard
houses the chapel and a curious sundial. The
original town layout was found in the structure’s
surrounding area.
The rhythm of economic and population
development in the town meant that, in less than
a century, Mollina became the area with the
.
.
252
Convento de la Ascensión (La Ascensión
Convent)
The second day of our route continues from
Archidona on the A-6202 heading to Villanueva del
Trabuco, from where we head on the A-6119 to
Villanueva del Rosario and then, from this small
village, link to the A-359 main road to Casabermeja.
At the Puerto de las Pedrizas, get on the A-45 (N331) towards Málaga to discover this area; after the
visit, take the MA-436 towards Antequera, to reach
the last village on the route – Villanueva de la
Concepción. Our trip ends taking the MA-436
towards Antequera, through the spurs in El Torcal
Nature Reserve. From Antequera, we can get back
to Málaga on the A-45 (N-331).
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la Ratosa from the hermitage door in the area and,
from there, link to the MA-705 to Alameda; if not,
continue on the MA-701 until Alameda. After this
visit, continue on the MA-708 linking to the N-331
heading to Córdoba. After about six kilometres on
the N-331, there is a turning onto the A-6212
leading to Cuevas Bajas and Cuevas de San
Marcos. From here, the MA-204 takes us to
Villanueva de Algaidas. Heading back for three
kilometres on the MA-204, we link to the MA-215 to
Villanueva de Tapia. Once here, there are two
options to get to the next stop at Archidona: via the
MA-214 road through a landscape of hills, olive
groves and pastures or via the A-333 and merging
with the A-92 towards Seville, taking the Archidona
exit.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Cruz del Humilladero (Humilladero Cross)
This municipality is located in the centre of an
Antequera hollow and is a type of corridor
between Fuente de Piedra and Mollina, widening
slightly on its border with Seville province. The
land is a lightly undulating plain to the north with
mainly dry farmlands of olives and cereals and, to
the south, the Sierra de Humilladero with the
town alongside breaking up the landscape, a
The town centre is typically Modern Andalusian
with wide, straight streets instead of the winding
Moorish design in many other towns, housing
characteristic whitewash houses and some
noteworthy buildings. Some researchers state the
town’s origins date back to 1618, a date inscribed
on the Cruz del Humilladero at the entrance to
the town and from where it gets its name. There
are those, however, who believe the date simply
refers to the inscription and not the establishment
of the town, suggesting it arose around an estate
known as El Convento (The Convent) in the 15th
century.
As for the town’s name, tradition points to it
coming from the oath made by Fernando de
Antequera before conquering the town. History
states that Fernando met with Sevillian Per Afán
de Ribera in the area in 1410, the latter bringing
troops as well as the sword of Ferdinand III The
Saint. The Infante kneeled, or bowed down,
before the sword, kissed it and swore he would
not sheathe it again until taking Antequera. In
commemoration of this event, the Cruz del
Humilladero was built at the entrance to the town,
being the town’s most representative monument.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario church is also
worth a visit, dating from 1861 – as stated on the
façade inscription – with a Latin cross plan. To the
outside is an entry surrounded by pendentives
and covered by a pediment with the square-plan,
single-section tower sitting alongside, whose
upper section has arches housing the bells. To
round off the visit, a trip to Los Carvajales is a
good idea to see the Apóstol Santiago (St.
James the Apostle) hermitage. Some authors
believe this structure, now heavily altered, was
the origin of Humilladero’s population centre.
.
.
HUMILLADERO
large pine forest area adding luxuriant greenery
to the region.
254
The area became independent from Antequera in
the early 19th century and, from the mid-20th,
Mollina has experienced the consequences of
emigration like many other inland towns in the
area, with the population being reduced by half.
Fortunately, the associative movement saw
surprising growth in later years, saving the town
from economic disaster. In this way, the area
quickly went from olive to wine production and,
today, produces 80 per cent of all ‘Málaga’
Denomination of Origin wines.
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Nuestra Señora de la Oliva Church
highest number of olive trees in the entire
Antequera region to such an extent that, for a
time, the area was known as Pago de los Olivos
(District of Olives). Even the parish church, then
known as San Cayetano (Saint Cajetan),
changed its name to Nuestra Señora de la Oliva
(Our Lady of the Olive). The church was built at
the end of the 17th century and restored in the
18th and 19th. It has a basilic plan with three
naves – the central nave having a coffered ceiling
and the side aisles covered with cross vaults
interspersed with transverse ribs and finished
with mixtilinear corbels. There are two chapels
with hemispherical domes and plant decoration in
the left aisle. There is also a small choir in the
entry. The façade has a central rectangular
section bordered by pendentives and supporting
a pediment finished with a belfry.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Palacio de la Marquesa de Fuente Piedra
(Palace of the Marchioness of Fuente Piedra)
This municipality, lying to the north of Antequera
region and adjacent to Seville province, spreads
out over an extensive plain with the peaks of
Mollina and Humilladero Sierras. The ideal olive
and cereal farming landscape is set around the
famous pool also called Fuente de Piedra, one of
the largest wetlands in Spain and the first on the
Iberian Peninsula to house mass flamenco
breeding, making it ecologically invaluable. The
wetland must have attracted prehistoric man to
the area, as seen in the remains found from the
Upper Palaeolithic period. The area remained
continuously inhabited until the arrival of the
Iberians, who established trading links with
Phoenicians and Carthaginians.
Moorish occupation is known but hardly
documented, with the archaeological remains
found meaning it is still a period to be
researched and presently unknown.
Fuente de Piedra
After the battle of Madroño in the mid-15th
century, concretely in 1461, Rodrigo Ponce de
León entered the area and expelled the
Muslims. The region remained abandoned
until 1547, when Antequera authorities thought
it the right time to create a type of suburb to
send those with kidney problems looking to
relieve their illnesses in the waters. The
waters’ healing properties encouraged notable
trade in the area, based on exporting water to
the Kingdom of Naples and even further to the
Americas. The 16th and 17th centuries were
especially prosperous thanks to the sale of
water and numerous visitors to the area using
them. Unfortunately, a long drought killed the
economic bonanza, since it contributed to the
spread of diseases blamed on the stagnant
water vapours in the pool due to the total lack
of current.
Fuente de Piedra is a archetypal Andalusian
plain village. The layout is mainly rectilinear
with several noteworthy large houses, such as
the 19th-century neoclassical Marquesa de
Fuente de Piedra Palace. The lateneoclassical Los Condes Palace and Villa
Josefa, a 1943 palatial home, are also
highlights.
The famous fountain is located in Plaza de la
Constitución, some authors dating it to the 5th
century B.C., although the oldest written
reference dates to the Roman occupation.
After the epidemics and supposed loss of its
healing properties, the monument was buried
in the mid-20th century and recovered again in
1994.
Virgen de las Virtudes Church
The Mudéjar-style 1891 Virgen de las
Virtudes (Our Lady of Virtue) parish church,
named for the town’s patron, is an architectural
style which, in a way, proliferated throughout
the century in many Andalusian towns. The
main façade has a lintelled entry with a Gothic
double span window and double arched belfry.
Nonetheless, the truly outstanding spot is the
one thousand three hundred and sixty-four
hectare pool. Known as a major common
flamenco nesting area and recognised as a
Nature Reserve, it is protected by several
international treaties sponsoring its safeguard.
Festivals of Virgen de las Virtudes
.
.
256
Occupied by the Romans until the 2nd century
A.D., the pool was known as Fons Divinus (Divine
Fountain), an allusion to the healing properties of
the water, especially good for kidney stones,
which is probably behind the town’s name. The
Roman relics presuppose the importance the
area must have had both in the Early and Late
Empire.
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FUENTE DE PIEDRA
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TOURIST BOARD &
Fuente de Piedra Lagoon
ALAMEDA
Alameda municipality lies to the north of Málaga
province in the Antequera area and spreads out
across a plain where only a few small hills cut
into the horizontal landscape with abundant olive
groves, as is normal in a land near Córdoba and
Seville open country.
Thanks to its geographic location, Alameda was,
like other adjacent towns, a crossroads between
Málaga, Granada and Seville provinces meaning
the first human settlements date to distant eras:
there are settlement remains from the
Chalcolithic or Eneolithic (2,500 B.C.), although
some recently found tools date from the Neolithic
era. The most abundant relics, however, date to
the Roman era.
The historian Pliny mentions the city of Astigi
Vetus, whose location corresponds to presentday Alameda town centre and where three of the
most important Roman roads meet – an
unmistakeable sign of the area’s importance at
the time.
With the exception of a 6th-century Visigoth
‘treasure’ being found, there is a lack of
documentary and archaeological evidence from
then until the 13th century, when Ferdinand III
The Saint conquered Estepa Castle and
adjoining lands – including present-day Alameda
municipality, amongst others – from the Moors in
1240. Immediately afterwards, the large territory
was given to the Military Order of Saint James of
the Sword, remaining in its power until 1559. The
area then passed into the possession of the
Marquesses of Estepa and, for a time, belonged
to the province of Seville. At the end of the 17th
century, coinciding with the economic recovery in
the region, Alameda regained some importance
and, from the 19th century, the municipality was
finally integrated into the province of Málaga
following the new administrative plan.
The nearby Roman baths and Chalcolithic
necropolis in the heart of the town centre are
Alameda’s most outstanding archaeological
remains. The Chalcolithic necropolis is made up
of a complex of excavated cavities in the rock
which, undoubtedly, are closely related in time
with those in Alcaide (Villanueva de Algaidas) and
Antequera. The Roman baths occupie a complex
measuring over three thousand metres, with a
compound being unearthed in several campaigns
housing a thermal building with rooms used for
changing areas, ovens, woodsheds, swimming
Roman public baths
Chalcolithic necropolis
.
.
258
The patron saint celebrations are the most
traditional in Fuente de Piedra, in honour of
the Virgen de las Virtudes. On 8th
September every year there is a ribbon race
that has been declared an Andalusian National
Celebration of Tourist Interest. It is presided
over by the elder manolas – women dressed
with mantilla parading in a retinue
accompanied by a musical band, with horse
carriages and riders taking part in the race.
The riders come out galloping armed with a
rod they have to pass through the rings
hanging from a rope along the street. When
the race is over, the patron saint procession
begins.
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It is also a nesting, winter season and
migration stop for many other birds, some in
danger of extinction. The geological and water
value should also be added to the bird
diversity which, alongside climatology, has all
made for a seasonal puddling system. There is
a Visitor Centre next to the pool where, via
information panels, the importance of the
reserve is explained.
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PÆgina 260
TOURIST BOARD &
La Inmaculada Church
.
The Museo de Aperos de Labranza Antonio
Cortés (Farm Equipment Museum) in Cañada
Street is also in the village and houses an
interesting collection of traditional tools used in
farming.
Stone fountain dating back to the XVIII
century
Extremely close to the town centre is the Laguna
de la Ratosa, the ‘little sister’ of the nearby, and
much larger, Laguna de Fuente de Piedra. Both
play home to several flamenco colonies in the
Visitors and Romantic European writers have
been fascinated by the figure of the Andalusian
bandit and José María Hinojosa, popularly known
as El Tempranillo, is one of the best examples.
Born in 1805 in Juaja, he killed a neighbour at a
young age, seemingly over a love issue and fled
to the hills to escape justice, where he soon put
together his own group of bandits. These facts
were the basis for a risky life which popular
legend would embellish with more or less credible
stories, finally making for the construction of an
authentic myth. What is documented is El
Tempranillo being dedicated to holding up
stagecoaches and, on many occasions, sharing
the booty amongst the poor. He went from hunted
to hunter when it came to less scrupulous
bandits, which is why King Fernando VII granted
him a pardon and named him commander of the
Partida de a Caballo (Mounted Police), charged
with capturing delinquents. This was dangerous
for many bandits acting freely in the Sierra
Morena and foothills: one, known as El Barberillo,
killed El Tempranillo with a single crack shot. As
stated, his remains lie in a simple tile-covered
tomb located in the patio of La Concepción de
Alameda parish church.
CUEVAS BAJAS
The terrain of this Málaga area, scored by Las
Pozas and Burriana watercourses, seems to be
searching for flatness between the gentle olivestrewn hills, with the setting rounded by orchards
fed by the River Genil as it passes through town.
The first human settlements in the area date to
the Palaeolithic period, as evidenced by the
findings at Belda Cave pointing to a primitive
hunting population. There are also important
legacies from the Copper Age, such as the
artificial cave necropolis considered one of the
most important in Spain. The Romans left their
mark in the area with various villas and the
remains of a road on the Antonine Itinerary.
Lastly, a system of irrigation channels in Huerta
del Marqués, still used today in a way, is an
unquestionable sign of the Muslim occupation,
who also built some waterwheels next to the
Genil. King Juan II ceded the town to Antequera
after the Christian conquest, in payment to the
governor Pedro de Narváez for help in the
conquest of Belda Fort.
San Juan Bautista church in the centre of town
attracts the attention of visitors. The present
church was built in the early 18th century above a
smaller one and the three naves are separated by
Roman arches resting on thick pillars, with a
domed transept. The octagonal shrine located in
.
260
A beautiful stone fountain was placed mid-18th
century in the Placeta, or Plaza de España,
supplying drinking water to the town for more
than two centuries. The height of the four jets and
width of the octagonal pillar makes for a unique
way of filling the holders via a hollowed out stem
with a funnel on the upper section. Over time, it
has become one of Alameda’s symbols,
appearing on its seal.
A vantage point was built in the year 2000 atop
Camorra, the largest elevation in the area,
measuring six hundred and eighty-six metres
above sea level, with a beautiful view out over the
vast stretch of olive groves, the lands running
down to El Genil, El Torcal de Antequera, La
Laguna de la Ratosa and, at the foot, Alameda.
The raids of this famous bandit and his
companions were mainly centred around the
areas of Alameda, Badolatosa, Jauja and
Corcoya – spots on the route bearing his name.
All these towns signpost the places most
frequented by this legendary character,
summarising the most standout events he
orchestrated.
Tomb of José María "El Tempranillo"
The Marquess of Estepa opened the parish
church in 1700, dedicated to the Madonna and
the most interesting religious monument in the
area. The Baroque church has a Latin cross plan
and three naves, with the Jesús Nazareno,
Virgen de los Dolores and Virgen del Rosario
chapels being a highlight. The anonymous 15th
century polychrome wooden Crucificado
(Crucifixion) sculpture is artistically valuable.
Lastly, it houses the tomb of José María El
Tempranillo, one of the most famous 19thcentury Andalusian bandits.
nesting season. If rainfall has been low during
winter and spring, La Ratosa Pool dries out in
summer; in spite of this, it has been declared a
protected natural area by the Andalusian
Government.
CONVENTION BUREAU
pools, etc. in use between the 1st and 4th
centuries B.C. Coins and interesting ceramic
relics were also found at these digs. At present,
the town council is building a Visitor Centre to
make trips possible and provide educational
information on these important finds. An
Ethnography Museum is also planned providing
added value to the Visitor Centre.
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TOURIST BOARD &
Iglesia de San Juan Bautista (St. John the
Baptist Church in Cuevas Bajas)
There is an old municipal fountain next to the
church that supplied the town with water from the
16th century. The circular-plan stone piece has
four jets and is located today in the Town Hall.
There are two street shrines witnessing the
town’s devotion to the images of the Virgen del
Carmen – in Victoria Street – and Jesús
Nazareno, in Archidona Street. The image of San
Antón is also interesting, next to a block of
contemporary houses. There was a small 19th
century hermitage until the 70s that housed
images of Saint Anthony, Saint Paschal Baylon
and Saint Francis on the High Altar, but it was
demolished due to its bad state-of-repair with the
block of housing being built on this plot – leading
to the neighbours caring for the Saint’s image.
.
The nearby hamlets of El Cedrón and La Moheda
were founded by Jewish and Muslim settlers and
still retain lots of mediaeval charm. The first
To the north of Málaga province, Cuevas de San
Marcos stretches to the border with Córdoba
province, from the River Genil Valley to the Sierra
de Malnombre and Camorro de Cuevas Altas,
with a varied landscape of scrubland, olive
groves, pines, holm oaks, almond trees and,
even, the still waters of Iznájar Reservoir making
for one of the most outstanding settings in the
area.
Belda Cave is a large karstic cavity with
enormous stalactites and stalagmites around
three underground lakes and has provided
unquestionable proof of the first prehistoric
human settlements in the area (Chalcolithic).
From then, the area has been inhabited by
different civilisations that have left behind
evidence of their cultures: the menhir known as El
Niño de Piedra (Child of Stone), Iberian ceramic
relics and Bronze Age axes and other tools have
been found in outlying areas.
Medina de Belda settlement is located on
nearby Sierra del Camorro peak, with still visible
remains of houses, a tower and reservoir. At
present, the town council is working with the
relevant Local and State authorities to establish
an important Archaeological Park with a Visitors
Centre and, in this way, better protect and
promote this fascinating heritage site. In the
meantime, all these numerous interesting relics
from different digs are on display in the
Archaeological Museum housed in speciallyadapted old OJE building. It plays host to
In his Geography, Ptolemy mentions the town of
Belda in 298 B.C. indicating that it existed before
the Romans arrived. Coins from the Empire, a
bronze coffin, amphorae and some tesseras –
these meaning a fragment of mosaic showing the
face of a young woman – have been found from
the period.
If Belda was one of the most prosperous cities in
Baetica during the Roman period, under the
Moors it took on more importance still. The area
saw turbulent events from the Muslim invasion in
711 to the 10th century, including the important
Umar ibd Hafsun rebellion against the Umayyad
caliphate. This contradictory character based in
Bobastro built defensive forts in different areas of
Málaga province – one of them in Belda, at Cerro
del Camorro.
Medina de Belda Site
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Antigua Venta Juan González (Old Venta
Juan González)
Real Street and Plaza de la Reja house the most
noteworthy civic structures in town – the Casa de
los Cristales and the Casa de Felipe Quintana.
The old Juan González inn is also a highlight,
having been a meeting place for the most
infamous 19th-century bandits. Some of the
regulars were Chato de Benamejí, Antonio
Vargas Heredia, Luis Artacho, Salvador González
and the Caldera brothers. The town was
nicknamed Cuevas de los Ladrones (Caves of
Thieves) at this time.
CUEVAS DE SAN MARCOS
Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Phoenician,
Greek, Roman and mediaeval objects.
Los Cristales House
enjoys great views over the country joining the
provinces of Seville, Córdoba, Málaga and
Granada.
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the High Altar and El Sagrario chapel, to the left,
are unique features. The Altar was made in 1706
and houses a red marble 1606 font. The stone
and brick exterior has a simple entry finished by a
small pediment open at the apex where a Roman
arch frames a vaulted niche. The square-plan
tower is a three-section belfry, the top having a
single arch finished with a pediment.
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Cerro del Camorro (Camorro Hill)
Iglesia de San Marcos (St. Mark's Church)
17th-century San Marcos (Saint Mark) church
is the town’s most symbolic monument, although
it underwent major alterations in the 18th century
leading to a harmonious late Baroqueneoclassical structure. The inside is split into
three naves covered by a hemispherical quadrant
vault over the transept and the outside houses an
outstanding neoclassical monumental entry, with
a Roman arch between pendentives supporting a
curved pediment on which a stained glass
window framed by two blind oculi rests. The
Epistle side holds a large three-section bell tower,
crowned with a sharp roof finished in glazed tiles.
Lastly, before leaving the town, visitors should
stop by Armiñán Bridge with its surprising outof-context expanse for the time it was opened
(1913). Its structure is made up of pieces linked
with unsoldered rivets – lending it an innovative
structure.
VILLANUEVA DE ALGAIDAS
Villanueva de Algaidas municipality borders
Córdoba province to the northeast and is
largely a major contrast-free landscape,
slightly hilly but only becoming more
accentuated and rising to thousand-metre
heights in the southern Arcas or Pedroso
Sierras. The latter are home to prehistoric
remains evidencing man’s early occupation in
the area, as seen in the Chalcolithic necropolis
at Alcaides, lying three kilometres from the
town and offering a complex of excavated
tombs in the rock dating back three thousand
five-hundred years.
The present-day town’s origins go back to
relatively recently, with the Duke of Osuna –
the late-18th century landowner – granting
permission for a Franciscan monastery next to
the Arroyo de Burriana, a building where
several early settlements gathered known as
Rinconá. Over time, it became necessary to
organise via a town hall, which was finally
established in 1843, after separation from
Archidona.
Next to the mediaeval bridge crossing the
Arroyo del Bebedero are the remains of the
Franciscan monastery, known as Nuestra
Señora de Consolación de las Algaidas (Our
Lady of Consolation of Algaidas), which was
the origin of the area and is the only notable
historical building.
An earlier structure is the Villanueva de
Algaidas cave church, dating to the 9th and
10th centuries and lying near the Franciscan
convent. It is a complex excavated in the rock
and made up of two non-connecting cavities.
The approximately eleven-metre smaller area
makes up the living quarters whilst the larger
space houses the church, with a rectangularplan, barrel vault and shallow apse. There are
two spaces to the northwest side providing
access to the two naves – one used as a
vestibule and the other, as the baptistery or
vestry based on the font located there.
Nuestra Señora de Consolación Convent
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Ermita del Carmen (Carmen Hermitage)
El Carmen heritage was built in the 18th century,
although it underwent major reforms in the 19th
and 20th centuries, the latter after the Civil War
where it lost its old statues and paintings. It has a
single neogothic nave with Baroque inserts and
the chancel has a hemispherical vault with eight
ribs on trimmed plates, a hexagonal chapel with a
twelve-section vault set in triangles and squares,
with a lantern rounding off the ensemble. To the
outside, the highlight is a brick tower with a tiled
roof. The image of the town’s patron saint,
Nuestra Señora del Carmen, was made in the
20th century by Navas Parejo.
The Aceña Waterwheel is an example of the
major waterwheels built on the River Genil and,
according to documentary references, was built in
the last quarter of the 18th century. It was
originally made of wood but was substituted by
the present iron structure in the 20th century and
had a double use: to start the mill – some remains
of which are preserved – and to regulate
irrigation, raising the river’s water table.
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Later historical documents are so scarce that we
can not be sure exactly what happened in the
area until the arrival of Christian troops. Pedro de
Narváez, Antequera governor, conquered Belda
with a force of 350 men in 1424 but, as he did not
have enough troops to set up a garrison, he
ordered the houses and fort built by Umar ibd
Hafsun be destroyed. Juan II donated the
Dehesa de Belda estate to the city of Antequera,
the estate being split into four farmhouses – two
being the origins of Cuevas Altas (or Cuevas de
San Marcos), with Cuevas Bajas springing up
around the other two.
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VILLANUEVA DE TAPIA
Located on the eastern edge of Antequera
region and bordering the provinces of Granada
and Córdoba, Villanueva de Tapia municipality
offers an almost unchanging landscape with a
few hills lending some variety to the setting.
The only fleeting heights are found in the
southern area where the backdrop is the
Sierra del Pedroso. All this means most of the
land is given over to olives and cereals.
Berrocal Museum
Remains of Roman and Moorish structures
show the area was home to both civilisations
but, being very scattered, the settlements fail
to provide enough information to put together a
small history of the town.
The first documented evidence appears in the
15th century, making reference to litigation
between the towns of Iznájar (Córdoba) and
Archidona which, taking advantage of the
confusion caused by post-Christian conquest
land distribution, claimed the area of presentday Villanueva de Tapia. The name of
Entredicho (Injunction) was given to the area
due to negotiations between both
municipalities and, as no end to the dispute
was in sight, the Royal Treasury needed to
intervene, with advisors deciding on El
Entredicho passing to the Royal Estate (20th
June 1602). The Crown’s lack of liquidity
meant Felipe III decided to sell part of the less
profitable land including El Entredicho. The
land was bought by a member of the Supreme
Castile Council, Pedro de Tapia, under whose
patronage in the 17th century the town of
Villanueva de Tapia began to take shape.
The area’s layout and architecture reflect the
typical characteristics of the towns in the
Málaga area with some outstanding
eighteenth-century façades and other
interesting structures.
Virgen de Gracia (Our Lady of Grace)
chapel in the park bearing the same name
follows traditional architectural style, with the
inside housing an artistically valuable painting
showing the Virgen de Gracia.
The early 17th-century San Pedro Apóstol (St.
Peter the Apostle) parish church underwent
major alterations in the 18th and late-19th
centuries, when the façade was rebuilt. The
structure stands out over the town’s rooftops due
Allalantes de Villanueva de Tapia Fountain
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Iglesia rupestre (Rock church)
The Berrocal Museum– an initiative of the
Amigos de Berrocal association – is one of
Villanueva de Algaidas’ great cultural
offerings. Until the final exhibition space is
fitted out, it is presently located in a townhouse
owned by the Town Council and houses some
of the most important works by the famous
sculptor. The museum’s unique attraction,
however, is the fact that visitors may touch the
works, disassemble and remount them as
designed by the sculptor himself, following
explanatory plans provided.
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Nuestra Señora de Consolación church was
built between 1904 and 1907 and has a single
nave and choir. It was restored to the outside
in the 1980s with a two-section façade and
belfry, the first section with a front housing
pendentives supporting a triangular pediment
where another two rest, flanking a vaulted
niche housing a Madonna; the second is made
up of a triangular pediment with a circular
space in the centre. The belfry has a Roman
arch between pendentives housing the bell
and finished by a mixtilinear pediment and a
cross on the upper part.
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A stroll around town allows visitors to see the Casa
de la Cantina, one of the oldest buildings in town,
the early 18th-century Allalantes Fountain, and
San Antonio Wash House – for its cultural rather
than architectural value – being one of the few
buildings of this type in this area of Málaga.
Casa de la Cantina (la Cantina House)
The Semana Mayor or Big Week should not be
ignored, starting on Holy Wednesday and ending
on Easter Saturday. Several brotherhoods parade
their holy images through the village streets,
although the highlight is the El Paso show, where
passages from the Old and New Testament are
acted out by locals with the texts being in old
Spanish and spoken in verse.
ARCHIDONA
Archidona town centre is located at the foot of
Pico del Conjuro and Gracia and Grajas Sierras
on a hill with a sheer drop behind enjoying a view
over a vast area. The location is due to a
historical strategic and defensive need, being in a
natural stop between upper and lower Andalusia.
With regards to the town’s establishment and
historical origins, it is known that prehistoric man
sheltered in come caves in adjoining sierras in the
deep past, evidenced by some unearthed relics,
although it was the Tartessians who set up a
stable presence in the area. Later Phoenician and
Carthaginian social settlements have been found,
who named it Oscua and began the original
walled enclosure. The Romans named it Arcis
Domina (Lady of the Heights) in clear reference to
its location which, in turn, became the Arabic term
Arxidurna with the medina being the capital of the
Cora de Rayya – what, today, would be similar to
being the capital of the province of Málaga. The
fort has seen major historical events, such as the
proclamation of Abd el Arman I as an independent
emir in the year 711.
During the uprising led by Umar ibd Hafsun in the
late 9th and early 10th century, Archidona
experienced unsure moments until the emir Abd
Allah conquered it in 907 and, under the
Cordovan caliphate, new years of prosperity
arrived with booming agriculture and commerce.
Nonetheless, numerous battles, shortages and
abandonment occurred in the area due to Muslim
power being divided amongst the Taifa kingdoms
until, in 1298 it became part of the Nasrid
kingdom of Granada. After a relatively calm era,
political settlement and economic restarting took
place and lasted until the first skirmishes with
Christian troops who, unstoppable, prepared the
conquest of Granada upon surrender of
Archidona
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Iglesia de San Pedro Apóstol (St. Peter
Apostle Church)
The Festival Internacional de Cante de Poetas
(International Poetry Song Festival), one of the
town’s most interesting events, takes place in July
and consists of singing or reciting improvised
verses and poems. This old tradition dates to the
Middle Ages and has boomed recently, becoming
an international event attracting the best local and
overseas troubadours from places such as Cuba,
Brazil, Puerto Rico, Panama and even Europe.
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Virgen de Gracia Hermitage
to its height and colour, being finished in factory
brick. The elegant two-section tower, where the
clock was installed in 1948, is finished with a hip
roof adorned with coloured tiles. The wooden
ceilings and choir are a highlight to the double
nave interior, although this church also houses
several artistically interesting sculptures, such as a
17th-century Madonna and the images of Nuestro
Padre Jesús Nazareno and the Virgen de los
Dolores, both from the 18th century and revered by
locals. The church’s archive is worth a special
mention, one of the most complete in the province
listing registration, christenings and marriages
from 1626, as well as other church, census and will
documents.
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Archidona Mozarabic Hermitage
The old Moorish town mosque became a
Christian church dedicated to the patron saint of
Archidona – the Virgen de Gracia – after the
conquest, having two distinct areas: the first three
parallel naves facing east are Moorish remains
with the three perpendicular naves being added
on in the 17th century. The orientation changed
post-extension and, facing north, had a Christian
use still in force today. The magnificent Muslim
columns and 15th-century font are a highlight.
It may seem surprising that the best known and
most representative monument in Archidona is a
1786 structure – the famous Plaza Ochavada, a
work by local builders Antonio González Sevillano
and Francisco Astorga Frías. The octagonal plan
is based on a combination of classic French
planning and local Baroque and Mudéjar
features.
The first building in Christian Archidona was
Santa Ana parish church in 1505 on Pope Julius
II’s orders. Although it was built in a late-Gothic
style, as can be seen in the fan vaulting over the
chancel, some Baroque features were added in
the 18th century such as the large altarpiece on
the High Altar or the marvellous stone front. The
triangular bell tower is original without any known
antecedents in Andalusia. It underwent major
alterations in the 19th century, adding two side
aisles and raising the central nave. The inside
houses major statues paraded in Holy Week,
such as the late 16th or early 17th century Cristo
del Descendimiento (Descent of Christ) and the
Amarrado a la Columna (Jesus tied to the Pillar).
Las Mínimas Convent, was founded in 1551
belonging to the Order of Saint Francis of Paola
and is in a good state-of-repair, still housing the
religious community, although it did undergo a
major refurbishment in the 18th century. The
beautiful Baroque front and polygonal red brick
tower and white and green polychrome ceramic
spire both date from this period. In turn, the 16thcentury La Victoria church belonged to the nowdisappeared Los Mínimos Monastery. Divided into
three naves, separated by cruciform pillars, the
central nave has the lintelled balconies frequently
seen in cloister churches. The exterior has a
Virgen de Gracia Church
Ochavada Plaza
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Archidona Castle
The abundant historical and artistic legacy is,
without doubt, the fruit of a long and full history:
there are remains of Roman walls where
Carthaginian and even Phoenician features may
be seen, with the Moors finally designing a
fortress originally housing three defensive walls,
of which only two remain standing. The old
mediaeval castle occupies one sierra hillside,
the other being a practically impregnable sheer
drop. Its construction, or extension even, was
begun by the Moors in the 9th century, with the
first Nasrid king rebuilding the fortress in the 13th
century and few features being added later. The
restored Puerta del Sol gate is a highlight, being
an imposing bent access due to its solid nature
facing east. The high area houses the citadel
governor’s quarters and well and the location
overlooks the best panoramic view of the town
and landscape.
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neighbouring terrain. It would still take another
half-century for Archidona to fall into Christian
hands on 28th July 1462, after the fall of
Antequera in 1410. Once the area was calmed
after the definitive conquest of the last Muslim
stronghold, the new era meant abandonment of
the high town, protected by walls, with buildings
spreading out over the foot of the hill where the
present town centre is located. The Christian King
Enrique IV awarded Archidona to the estate of the
Counts of Ureña and Dukes of Osuna, who
retained ownership until the 19th century.
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Facing the church is La Cilla (The Granary), used
to keep the harvests and taxes-in-kind, explaining
its sombre Castilian form matching its functional
purpose. Although the building dates to the 16th
century, the stone front and ducal seals on the side
are Baroque and it presently houses the Council
offices.
Las Mínimas Convent
The old Santo Domingo (St. Dominic) Convent
was founded by the Count of Ureña in 1531. It is
a large structure set around a big square central
patio housing the church on one side. The
sombre front and austere belfry rise up over the
adjacent centre and dominate the plain at its feet.
The religious community was predominant in the
spiritual life of Archidona until the Mendizábal
sale of church lands, when it abandoned the
area. After many years of disuse, the convent has
been recently restored to house the Hotel
Escuela Convento Santo Domingo.
Las Escuelas Pías (Pious School) church or
Nazareno chapel also dates to the 17th century
and was once attached to the now-disappeared
Colegio de los Escolapios (Piarists School), a
present-day Secondary School. The single nave
church is covered by a barrel vault and lunettes
with trefoil oculi, housing the image of Jesus of
Nazareth – a highly valuable 16th-century work
loved by locals.
Casa Consistorial (House of Commons)
Archidona gives itself over completely to Holy
Week and not for nothing does it have a five
hundred year history: from Palm Sunday to the
The area saw human settlement in prehistoric
times, as well as in later Roman and Visigoth
eras. After this, there is a historical gap until the
18th century, when Carlos II orders the area be
repopulated with foreign, mainly Flemish and
German, colonists. At the start of the new century
in 1808, Villanueva del Trabuco separated from
Archidona.
The town centre has two distinct areas due to the
lie of the land: from the Plaza del Prado, the
town’s nerve centre, is the flattest and most
commercial area contrasting with the zigzag,
narrow and steep streets behind, these being
typical of a Málaga mountain village.
VILLANUEVA DEL TRABUCO
Villanueva del Trabuco occupies the most eastern
part of the Antequera region, bordering with the
province of Granada and the Axarquía region. It is
located at the foot of the Gorda and San Jorge
Sierras with the highest altitudes in the area and
a landscape that, apart from the aforementioned
peaks, is characterised by gentle hillocks
generally covered with cereals and olive groves.
The brooks coming off the sierras form the River
Guadalhorce feed the many springs at their feet.
This abundance of water aids white and black
poplar, and ash tree growth.
Villanueva del Trabuco
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San Antonio chapel is located next to the
cemetery in the Egido area and is a simple 17thcentury structure in a popular style: whitewash
with a small belfry.
Resurrection, brotherhoods parade in the streets
in the old town, ending in Plaza Ochavada,
where thrones, chattels and statues shine in
splendour as Archidona possesses marvellous
artistically value statues including, the Cristo de
la Columna (16th-17th centuries), 17th-century
Jesús Orando en el Huerto, 17th-century Jesús
Preso (Jesus the Prisoner), the 17th/18th century
Cristo de Expiración (Christ of the Expiration),
17th-century Dulce Nombre (Sweet Name)
attributed to Pedro de Mena, 16th-century Cristo
de la Humildad (Christ of Humility) or the 16thcentury Cristo del Descendimiento or del Santo
Sepulcro – made by religious artist Diego de
Vega. With regards to the Madonnas, they are in
the lines of the Dolorosa Andaluza (Andalusian
Madonna), being images to dress and so, only
having carved hands and faces; highlights
include: María Santísima del Amparo (Holy Mary
of Refuge), María Santísima del Amor y de la
Sangre (Holy Mary of Love and Blood), and
María Santísima de los Dolores (Holy Mary of
Pain) dating to the 17th century, with the Virgen
de la Paz (Our Lady of Peace) and Virgen de la
Soledad (Our Lady of Solitude) dating to the 16th
century.
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harmonious Mannerist front finished with a brick
belfry.
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Curiously, the area has a large number of
hermitages that, although lacking great historical
or artistic value, are well worth a visit.
Virgen del Pilar Hermitage
Traditional irrigation channels can also be viewed
in the municipality, set up in the 19th century as
aqueduct-type canals taking water from the
Guadalhorce to the different oil and flour mills in
town. They would take water from the highest
point on the river to a stone structure carrying it to
hole which generated such a powerful stream it
was able to drive the millstones. This water
diversion was achieved via the natural river
course so that the water became the mill engine.
Some remains are kept in El Prevenio, Maletas,
El Huerto del Viejo, La Fábrica and El Molinillo
farmhouses. However, San Antonio Jabonero
farmhouse has the best examples since it has
the stone structure where the water would run
into. In the town square, these stone waterways
make for a beautiful monument fountain the Town
Council has dedicated to the channels.
Los Cien Caños Fountain is just a few
kilometres from town, believed to be where the
River Guadalhorce begins. This tremendous
spring is used by locals and visitors as a relaxing
spot for a pleasant day in the country.
VILLANUEVA DEL ROSARIO
The first section of the Guadalhorce crosses
Villanueva del Rosario from east to west which, for
its volume and size in this area, looks more like a
stream than a river, in spite of getting water from
Cerezo and Parroso brooks. Kilometres
downstream, it widens and fertilises the large plain
bearing its name.
The landscape is marked by Jobo and Camarolos
Sierras that not only make for unsuspected beautiful
spaces, but also are the highest in the region at
Chamizo (one thousand six hundred and forty-one
metres), with Alto de Hondonero worth a mention for
its height (one thousand four hundred and twenty
metres) and setting, as well as Pelao (one thousand
three hundred and eighty-six metres).
Being a natural passage between the coast and
inland Andalusia, human settlements appeared very
early with remains found from the Palaeolithic,
Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Ages.
Fuente de los cien caños (Fountain of the
hundred wells)
Roman presence was notable in the area, leaving
behind some villas, presses and mills more than
large structures. The Visigoths also inhabited the
area, as seen in the several necropolises unearthed
(Calerilla, Repiso, Rabia, Picacho), where the relics
of ceramics, rings and buckles have been found,
amongst other objects. However, most have been
pillaged or even destroyed by farming activity, being
located on private estates and not available for
visits.
Some researchers have pointed out that
Puebla del Saucedo – the town giving rise to
the municipality – arose in the 18th century.
When Upper Guadalhorce began to be
repopulated in the late 19th century, El
Saucedo belonged to Archidona jurisdiction
until, after its separation and the town council
consequently being formed and finished in
1827, it was named Villanueva del Rosario.
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Nuestra Señora de los Dolores Church
The small and sombre Virgen del Puente (Our
Lady of the Bridge) chapel is located between
Plaza de Prado and the bridge over the River
Guadalhorce and houses the image of the Virgen
de los Dolores, specially adored by locals. The
recently built Virgen del Pilar chapel is in La
Moheda, in the area around Los Alazores
neighbourhood. San Antonio chapel was built in
memory of local Antoñico Rosas. San Juan
chapel is located in Los Morales neighbourhood
and lastly, San Isidro Labrador is in Las Beatas,
an area in Los Cortijuelos district – just over a
kilometre from the village.
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Nuestra Señora de los Dolores parish church
is the most noteworthy building in town, built on
the orders of the Duke of Osuna in the late 18th
century over the foundations of the original Santa
María Egipcíaca (St. Mary of Egypt) chapel and
restored in the last century. The highlight inside is
the altarpiece on the High Altar housing the
images of the Our Lady of Sorrows, the Sacred
Heart and Saint Joseph with Baby Jesus. To the
exterior, the bell tower stands out rising above the
main door as well as the tile covering. The white
façade has a Roman archway between
pendentives and a cornice to the upper section,
framing it like moulding. It is finished by three
stained glass windows balancing the structure
out.
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Located between the areas of Nacimiento and
Hondoneros, Nuestra Señora del Rosario
chapel is a single-nave structure with a simple
façade bearing a large arch framing the
entrance. It is finished off by a small belfry
with a Roman arch housing the bell.
Villanueva del Rosario
The present church – also dedicated to the
Virgen del Rosario – was completely restored
in 1994 and sits on the old 1760 church
knocked down in 1962. The three-street
façade has a main front with a Roman arch
framed by like moulding. It has a single nave
with different images along the sides and the
chancel has an exposed brick arch lit naturally
via windows on the upper section.
CASABERMEJA
Located to the south of El Torcal and Las
Cabras Sierras, Casabermeja municipality
has, since early times, been one of the main
access points linking coastal and inland areas
via the narrow, winding River Guadalmedina
Valley. The landscape is varied in both type
and crops with olives, almonds, scrubland,
large cereal fields and farmland around the
numerous steads across the terrain.
Remains of prehistoric settlements in the
outskirts of town have been found, as
evidenced by the Megalithic burial sites on
Lagar and Chapera Hills and El Hospital
farmhouse. Although these are not the only
relics left in the area by early man with twenty
shelters – some preserving schematic and
anthropomorpha paintings in red dating to the
Chalcolithic period – having been found four
kilometres from the town centre, towards to
east at Mojea Hill. The workshop at Cerro
Alcaide and the ruins of Las Parras fountain
– located in San Sebastián Street in the town
centre – date to the Roman period.
The town’s name probably comes from the
Arabic Qsar Bemeja (Vermillion Castle), there
being no doubt that the Moors settled in the
area – there are remains of an ancient wall and
Torre Zambra (Zambra Tower) dating to the
13th century, only four kilometres from the
town centre and lying very near the old
Camino Real. One of the most surprising
panoramic views of the province of Málaga
may be enjoyed from the location, both for the
size of the terrain and the beauty of the
landscape. This watchtower is accessed by an
approximate three hour rambling route, but the
marvellous spots truly make the effort worth it.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario Hermitage
.
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276
On the other hand, it has an extremely
charming network of irregular streets due to
the uneven lay of the land leading to small
unmistakeably Andalusian squares. Popular
architecture with its particular mark and lack of
academic prejudice crops up throughout the
village, adding a slightly irrational and
uninhibited touch to the town’s special layout
which, occasionally, is most welcome –
especially when accompanied by tinkling
fountains, colourful plant pots and extreme
cleanliness highlighting the whiteness of the
houses.
CONVENTION BUREAU
Visitors will not find a striking monumental
route in the area, not even buildings that,
thanks to their appearance, could be
considered historically or artistically valuable,
since its short lifespan (it was basically
constituted in the 19th century) left it out of the
architectural boom of Mudéjar, Renaissance,
Baroque or neoclassical periods experienced
in other villages.
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PÆgina 278
TOURIST BOARD &
The original San Sebastián cemetery is very
close to the town centre and is a fairly unique
churchyard due to its singular pantheons,
burial mounds and impeccably whitewash
pinnacles. The great care shown, alongside
the originality, earned it recognition as a
National Monument in 1980.
VILLANUEVA DE LA CONCEPCIÓN
Casabermeja Cemetary
Almost in the geographic centre of the province of
Málaga, the area of Villanueva de la Concepción
spreads from the foot of Sierra de El Torcal to the
Montes de Málaga. In this way, the large, fertile
plains sometimes brusquely become very uneven
terrain. With all this, the area – dominated by the
impressive El Torcal massif – is full of olive
groves, almond trees and wheat fields.
There are remains of human settlements in the
area from the Middle Palaeolithic, although
Neolithic man’s presence is better evidenced in
the polished stone axe finds at places such as La
Alhaja, Pilas de Cobos, El Cortijillo and Fuente
Pareja.
Some researchers have stated that the Iberians
founded the first known town in the area which,
later, would become a Roman villa.
After the fall of the Roman Empire, there is a
historical gap lasting several centuries without
any documentation of what happened in the area.
However, it is known that, during the Nasrid
period, the important city of Antikaria (Antequera)
was defended by a line of castles controlling
movement to the city of Málaga. Those at
Cauche, Hins Almara and Xébar – the latter in
Villanueva de la Concepción municipality
–safeguarded the three natural passages to the
coast.
Villanueva de la Concepción
The importance of Xébar Castle, built by the
Nasrids in the 13th and 14th centuries, is seen by
the fact that, after the conquest of Antequera by
Infante Fernando on 4th September 1410, the
Nasrids occupied the fort again in autumn that
same year, taking what they could and then
destroying it. The Governor of Antequera rebuilt
it, but once the War of Granada was over, the
enclave lost strategic value and remained in a
precarious state of abandon until ending up as
ruins. At present, only the keep and part of two
octagonal-plan enclosures are preserved.
The abandoned Villanueva de la Concepción
territory recovered some importance when, in the
second half of the 18th century, construction
began on the Camino Real linking Málaga and
Madrid. Farmsteads and houses began to appear
next to the road which, over time, came to make
.
.
278
Casabermeja
Nuestra Señora del Socorro parish church
was built in the first half of the 16th century,
although it underwent a notable alteration in
the 18th. The inside follows the style of the
time with three wide naves separated by
Roman arches. The Virgen del Carmen chapel
is to the left of the church, with lavish Baroque
decoration, and the Jesús Nazareno chapel is
to the right. There is a large square-plan fivesection tower to the outside covered with Arab
tiles.
CONVENTION BUREAU
The present-day town centre was founded in
the era of the Catholic Monarchs and became
independent in 1630, after some of the locals
bought the land from the Crown. The town has
managed to maintain the time-honoured
flavour of its narrow streets, with maximum
two-storey homes housing niches on some
façades, where images of saints and virgins
are placed for popular worship.
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PÆgina 280
TOURIST BOARD &
The construction of the Camino Real left behind
some important architectural structures in the
area, such as El León, El Horcajo and Arroyo
Cauche Bridges whose building began years
after the road came onto service, it having been
noted that in some areas, the rainy season left
some sections impassable. The modified Camino
Real included these bridges, which are still useful
transport links and constitute, in turn, the start of
the town’s recent history.
The centre of Villanueva de la Concepción has a
pleasant street layout with large well-decorated
squares, such as García Caparrós and Andalucía
housing a lot of commercial business, or Iglesia
Street where the Nuestra Señora de la
Inmaculada Concepción parish church is
located. This 19th-century structure has a single
floor with an outstanding neoclassical altarpiece,
whilst the exterior has a base and whitewash
façade with a belfry. The church houses the
statue of the Immaculate Conception, the town’s
patron saint and the focus of worship in the
enormously popular August Fair involving the
A special point of Holy Week in Villanueva de la
Concepción is that the local authorities organise
the processions and not the brotherhoods or
guilds. On Maundy Thursday, the images of
Jesus of Nazareth and Holy Mary of Sorrows are
paraded by the streets – the first being an
excellent 16th-century statue from Antequera and
the second, a much restored 18th-century piece.
the River Campanillas Valley – a tributary of the
Guadalhorce – and, in the background, the blue
Mediterranean Sea. This impressive setting has
inspired poets such as Jorge Guillén or Salvador
Rueda, who have sung the praises of the
beautiful stone and its imposing disturbing
shapes.
The town also has a top flight natural tourist
resource: El Torcal, at the foot of which the town
lies. Declared a Natural Protected Andalusian
Area in 1929, a Natural Park in 1978 and, finally,
a Nature Reserve in 1989, the Government has
made it evident that the privileged enclave
possesses enormous value with regards to the
fauna, flora, geomorphology and setting –
features it is known and recognised for around
the world. Measuring more that twenty square
kilometres, part of it falls within the town’s area
made up of torcas or sinkholes (clay based
depressions), limestone pavements (grooves
channelled in the rock), karst field (rather large
dips), passages and gorges. The wind and rain
have carved out this natural wonder over
thousands of years.
Visitors may follow the indications of the Green
and Botanic routes, combining with the old
signposted paths with green and yellow paintings
so as to aid movement around this fantastic word
of strange and evocative forms. Any of the routes
will take visitors into a fascinating world the
whimsical karstic shapes have created.
La Ventanilla vantage point is in this petrified
forest enjoying views to the Montes de Málaga,
El Torcal
.
.
280
Another important structure in town is the socalled Cortijo Grande, which, in the 17th and
18th centuries, started as the Jesuit San
Ildefonso (St. Ildephonsus) Convent and still
retains the façade with a neoclassical belfry. At
present, it is a private residence, preserving
another old structure in its grounds – a Moorish
beacon, whose main role was to control the
commercial routes between the valleys of the
River Campanillas and Guadalhorce.
Verdiales Celebration. This is the doyenne of this
type of festivity in Málaga province, with the best
groups from around the region filling the town’s
streets and squares with ancestral tradition.
CONVENTION BUREAU
up the present town, becoming an official Rural
Town on 3rd November 1880. After years of
applications, the Government Council for the
Andalusian Regional Government awarded
Villanueva de la Concepción the category of
Local Autonomous Entity on 25th February 1992.
Index
281
ANTEQUERA
ALCAZABA (ARAB FORTRESS)
Address: Old Quarter
Hours: Guided tours every half-hour. Tue-Sat,
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays
MUSEO CONVENTUAL DE LAS DESCALZAS
(DISCALCED NUNS MUSEUM)
Address: Pza. de las Descalzas, 3
Hours: Tue-Fri, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5:00
to 6:30 p.m. Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 5:
00 to 6:30 p.m. Sun, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Website: www.museoconventualantequera.com
Telephones: (+34) 606 855 792 / (+34) 952 841 977
MUSEO DE HOJIBLANCA
(HOJIBLANCA MUSEUM)
Address: Ctra. Córdoba-Málaga, s/n
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Mon-Thu,
from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. (October to May); Mon-Fri,
from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (June to September).
Website: www.hojiblanca.es
Telephones: (+34) 952 841 451
m
15.
ONUMENTS
AND MUSEUMS
DE LA PACA MILL
Address: Ctra. Alhaurín de la Torre-Alhaurín el
Grande, Km. 74
Hours: 9:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Make an appointment in advance
Website: www.molinodelapaca.com
Telephones: (+34) 629 763 566 / (+34) 952 566 136
ALMÁCHAR
MUSEO MUNICIPAL
(MUNICIPAL MUSEUM)
Address: Palacio de Nájera, Plaza del Coso Viejo
Hours: Tue-Fri, 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4:30
to 6:30 p.m.; Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Sundays and public holidays, 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Closed on Mondays.
282
Index
ARDALES
MUSEO MUNICIPAL DE ARDALES
(ARDALES MUNICIPAL MUSEUM)
Address: Avda. de Málaga, 1
Hours: Tue-Sun, 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and
4:00 to 6:00 p.m. (winter); 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. (summer)
Telephones: (+34) 952 458 046
MUSEO MUNICIPAL DEL PARQUE DE ARDALES
(ARDALES PARK MUNICIPAL MUSEUM)
Address: Conde de Guadalhorce Park, Conde
de Guadalhorce Reservoir
Hours: Mon-Sun, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and
5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 458 087
BENADALID
BENADALID CASTLE
Address: C/ Real
Hours: Daily
Telephones: (+34) 952 152 753
BENALAURÍA
MUSEO ETNOGRÁFICO
(ETHNOGRAPHIC MUSEUM)
Address: C/ Alta, 115
Hours: Weekends, 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. and
.
MUSEO MUNICIPAL DE ÁLORA
Address: Plaza Baja de la Despedida, s/n
(by the Church of La Encarnación)
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sat,
11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Closed on Sunday
Telephones: (+34) 952 495 577
.
CASA MUSEO DE LA PASA (RAISIN MUSEUM)
Address: C/ del Santo Cristo, 5
ÁLORA
MUSEO TAURINO MUNICIPAL
(MUNICIPAL BULLFIGHTING MUSEUM)
Address: Paseo María Cristina, s/n
Hours: Tue-Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00
to 7:00 p.m.; Sundays and public holidays, 10:00
a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays
Telephone: (+34) 618 261 120
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Weekends: 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5:000 to
8:00 p.m. Make an appointment in advance at
the Town Hall
Telephones: (+34) 952 512 002
MUSEO DE USOS YCOSTUMBRES DE SAN BENITO
(SAN BENITO CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
MUSEUM)
Address: Ctra. A-45, Exit 86
Hours: Tue-Sun, 12:30 to 5:00 p.m.; Fri-Sat, 8:00
to 11:00 p.m.
Telephone: (+34) 952 111 103
Monuments And Museums
ALHAURÍN EL GRANDE
Groups: Make appointment one week in advance.
Telephone: (+34) 952 704 021
283
4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Working days, make an appointment in advance
Telephones: (+34) 952 152 548
BENALMÁDENA
MUSEO ARQUEOLÓGICO MUNICIPAL
(MUNICIPAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM)
Address: Avda. de Juan Luis Peralta, 49
to 7:00 p.m. (winter); 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and
6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (summer). Sundays and public
holidays, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Website: www.benalmadena.com/museo
Telephones: (+34) 952 448 593
COLOMARES CASTLE
Address: Ctra. del Sol. Urb. El Vinazo (La Carraca)
Hours:Daily, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Website: www.castillomonumentocolomares.com
Telephones: (+34) 952 448 821 / (+34) 666 467 987
CASARES
MUSEO DE ETNOHISTORIA
(ETHNOGRAPHY AND HISTORY MUSEUM)
Address: C/Arco de la Villa, s/n
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 to 6:30
CASA NATAL DE BLAS INFANTE
(BLAS INFANTE'S BIRTHPLACE)
Address: C/ Carreras, 51
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:00 to 6:30
p.m. Sat, 11:00 to 4:00 p.m. Closed on Sunday
Telephones: (+34) 952 895 521
CASARABONELA
LOS MIZOS MILL
Address: C/ Albaina, s/n
Hours: Sat, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sun, 11:00 a.m. to
12:00 noon
Telephones: (+34) 952 456 561
MUSEO DE ARTE SACRO
(SACRED ART MUSEUM)
Address: Parish Church of Santiago Apostol. C/
Baluarte
Hours: Sat and Sun, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 456 067
ESTEPONA
MUSEO ETNOGRÁFICO, MUSEO DE
PALEONTOLOGÍA Y MUSEO ARQUEOLÓGICO
(ETHNOGRAPHY, PALAEONTOLOGY
AND ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM)
Address: C/ Matías Prats, s/n
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. Sat,
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 807 148
MUSEO TAURINO ANTONIO ORDÓÑEZ
(ANTONIO ORDÓÑEZ BULLFIGHTING MUSEUM)
Address: C/ Matías Prats, s/n
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. Sat,
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 807 148
FRIGILIANA
MÁLAGA
PALACIO DEL APERO (FARMING TOOLS)
Address: Cuesta del Apero, 10
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sat, 9:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sun, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Website: www.frigiliana.es
Telephones: (+34) 952 534 261
ABBEY OF SANTA ANA
Address: C/ Cister
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Telephone: (+34) 952 216 971
FUENGIROLA
SOHAIL CASTLE
Address: CN 340. Paseo Marítimo Rey de España
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 6: 30 p.m. (spring); 9:30
a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (summer); 10:00 a.m. to 6:30
p.m. (fall); 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (winter)
Telephones: (+34) 685 855 246
MUSEO DE HISTORIA (HISTORY MUSEUM)
Address: C/ María Josefa Larrucea, 3
to 8:00 p.m. (spring and fall); 10:30 to 1:30 and
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (summer); 10:30 a.m. to 1:30
p.m. and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. (winter)
Telephones: (+34) 685 855 246
GAUCÍN
MUSEO ETNOGRÁFICO
(ETHNOGRAPHY MUSEUM)
Address: Avda. Ana Tobal, s/n
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Telephone: (+34) 952 151 186
LA PEDANÍA DE BENAQUE
CASA NATAL DE SALVADOR RUEDA
(SALVADOR RUEDA'S BIRTHPLACE)
Address: C/ Salvador Rueda
Hours: -Telephones: (+34) 952 400 042
ALCAZABA (ARAB FORTRESS)
Address: C/ Alcazabilla, s/n
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (winter); 9:00 a.m.
to 8:00 p.m. (summer)
Telephones: (+34) 952 217 646
CATHEDRAL
Address: C/ Molina Lario, s/n
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 215 917
CATHEDRAL MUSEUM
Address: C/Molina Lario, s/n
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Sat, 10:00 to 5:45 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 215 917
ABADÍA DEL PALACIO DE LA ADUANA
(CUSTOMS HALL'S ABBEY)
Address: Plaza de la Aduana. Salón de las Columnas (Columns Hall)
Part of the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts
Hours: Tue, 3:00 to 8:00 p.m.; Wed-Fri, 9:00 a.m.
to 8:00 p.m.; Sat and Sun, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Closed on Monday
Telephones: (+34) 952 213 680
MUNICIPAL MUSEUM
Address: Paseo de Reding, 1
Hours: Open daily (exhibitions). 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
(winter); 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (summero)
Website: www.museomunicipalmalaga.es
Telephones: (+34) 952 225 106
PICASSO MUSEUM
Address: C/ San Agustín, 8
.
.
284
CENTRO DE EXPOSICIONES
(EXHIBITION CENTRE)
Address: Avda. Antonio Machado, 33
Hours: Tue-Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 to
8:30 p.m.; Sundays and public holidays, 11:00 a.m. to
1:30 p.m. (winter). 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 to
9:00 p.m. (summer)
Website: www.benalmadena.es/centroexposiciones
Telephone: (+34) 952 562 820
p.m. Sat, 11:00 to 4:00 p.m. Closed on Sunday
Telephones: (+34) 952 895 148
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285
Hours: Tue-Sun, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Website: www.museopicassomalaga.org
Telephones: (+34) 952 127 600
MUSEO TAURINO PLAZA DE TOROS
(BULLFIGHTING MUSEUM - BULLRING)
Address: Paseo de Reding, 8
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 5:00
to 8:00 p.m.
Website: www.la-malagueta.es
Telephone: (+34) 952 221 727
MUSEO COFRADÍA ESTUDIANTES
(ESTUDIANTES BROTHERHOOD MUSEUM)
Address: C/ Alcazabilla, 5
MUSEO DE ARTE Y COSTUMBRES POPULARES
(POPULAR ARTS AND TRADITIONS MUSEUM)
Address: Pasillo de Santa Isabel, 5
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and
4:00 to 7:00 p.m. (winter); 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
(summer)
Website: www.museoartespopulares.com
Telephone: (+34) 952 217 137
MUSEO - CASA NATAL PICASSO
Y FUNDACION PICASSO
(PICASSO'S BIRTHPLACE AND PICASSO FOUNDATION)
Address: Plaza de la Merced, 15
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 8: 00 p.m.; Sun,
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Closed on public holidays
Website: www.fudacionpicasso.es
Telephones: (+34) 952 060 215
MUSEO INTERACTIVO DE LA MÚSICA
(INTERACTIVE MUSIC MUSEUM)
Address: Plaza de la Marina, s/n
to 8:00 p.m.; weekends and public holidays,
11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Website: www.musicaenaccion.com
Telephone: (+34) 952 210 440
MUSEO ACUARIO AULA DEL MAR
(AQUARIUM)
Address: Avda. Manuel Agustín de Heredia, 35
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Closed
on weekends and public holidays
Website: www.auladelmar.info
Telephone: (+34) 952 229 287
MUSEO CENTRO DE ARTE CONTEMPORÁNEO
(CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTRE)
Address: C/ Alemania s/n
Hours: Tue-Sun, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Closed
on Mondays.
Tue-Sun, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 to
9:00 p.m. (1 July to 24 September)
Website: www.cacmalaga.org
Telephone: (+34) 952 120 055
MUSEO TRANSPORTE AÉREO
(AIR TRANSPORT MUSEUM)
Address: Avda. Comandante García Morato s/n.
Málaga Airport, next to General Aviation Terminal
Hours: Tue-Sun, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tue,
5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays, 25 December, 1 January, Maundy Thursday and Holy
Friday.
Website: www.aeroplaza.org
Telephone: (+34) 952 048 176
MUSEO DEL VINO
(WINE MUSEUM)
Address: Plaza de los Viñeros, 1
Hours: Tue-Sun, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (winter,
1 October to 31 March);
Mon-Sat, 12:00 to 9:00 p.m. (summer, 1 April to
30 September). Closed on 24, 25 and 31 December, 1 and 6 January, and Holy Friday
Website: www.museovinomalaga.com
Telephone: (+34) 952 228 493
MUSEO INTERACTIVO DE CIENCIAYTECNOLOGÍA
(INTERACTIVE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
MUSEUM)
Address: Avda Luis Buñuel, 6
to 8:00 p.m.; Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (general public); 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.
and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., except on Wednesdays
(groups)
Website: www.principia-malaga.com
Telephone: (+34) 952 070 481
Telephones: (+34) 952 893 206
MARBELLA
MUSEO DELGRABADO ESPAÑOLCONTEMPORÁNEO
(SPANISH CONTEMPORARY PRINTS MUSEUM)
Address: Hospital Bazán, s/n
to 8:30 p.m.; 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. (summer). Closed
on Sunday, Monday and public holidays.
Website: www.museodelgrabado.com
Telephones: (+34) 952 765 741
CORTIJO DE MIRAFLORES MUSEUM
Address: C/ Jose Luis Morales y Marín, s/n
Hours: 09:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 902 714
BONSAI MUSEUM
Address: Parque Arroyo de la Represa
(winter, from 1 Sept to 30 June); 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
and 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. (summer, from 1 July to 31 Aug)
Telephones: (+34) 952 862 926?
RALLI MUSEUM
Address: Urb. Coral Beach. Km. 176. Puerto Banús
Hours: Tue-Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Closed
on public holidays and from 15 Dec to 15 Jan
Telephones: (+34) 952 857 923
MIJAS
DUCHESS'S CASTLE
Address: CN 340, Km. 142.9
Hours: de 9.00 a 15.00
CASAMUSEO HISTÓRICO ETNOLÓGICO DE MIJAS
(MIJAS ETHNOLOGY AND HISTORY MUSEUM)
Address: Plaza de la Libertad, 2 (Mijas Pueblo)
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 2: 00 and 4: 00 to 7:00 p.m.
Website: www.mijas.es/museos
Telephones: (+34) 952 590 380
MANILVA
.
.
286
MUSEO SANTO SEPULCRO
(HOLY SEPULCHRE MUSEUM)
Address: C/ Alcazabilla, 5
to 8:00 p.m. Sat, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
MUSEO DE CASAS DE MUÑECAS
(DOLLHOUSE MUSEUM)
Address: C/ Álamos, 32
Hours: Tue-Sun, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. For
hours different from these ones, please call and
make an appointment in advance.
Website: www.museocm.com
Telephone: (+34) 952 210 082
Index
287
CENTRO DE INTERPRETACIÓN DE LAS
TORRES VIGÍAS
(WATCHTOWER VISITOR CENTRE)
Address: C/ Torreón, s/n - La Cala (Mijas Costa)
Hours: Wed-Sun, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; WedSun, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 to 11:00
p.m. (summer)
Website: www.mijas.es
Telephone: (+34) 952 590 380
MUSEO CARROMATO DE MAX
(MINIATURE MUSEUM)
Address: Avda. El Compás s/n
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; weekends, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Website: www.mijas.es
Telephone: (+34) 952 58 90 34
MONDA
MARI GLORIA HOUSE MUSEUM
Address: C/ Amargura, 2
Hours:Daily, 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 457 069
NERJA
NERJA CAVE
Address: Ctra. de Maro, s/n
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 to 6:30
p.m. (winter); 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (summer)
Website: www.cuevadenerja.es
E-mail: admó[email protected]
Telephones: (+34) 952 259 520
RONDA
Telephones: (+34) 952 871 263
MUSEO DEL VINO DE MÁLAGA
(MÁLAGA WINE MUSEUM)
Address: C/ Carreras, 39
Hours: Daily - Telephones: (+34) 952 881 453
BULLRING AND BULLFIGHTING MUSEUM
Address: C/ Virgen de la Paz, 15
JOAQUÍN PEINADO MUSEUM AND
PALACE OF THE MARQUISES OF MOCTEZUMA
Address: Palacio de Moctezuma. Plz. del Gigante, s/n
Hours: Mon-Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and
4:00 to 7:00 p.m. (winter); 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. (summer); Sundays and public holidays, 10:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m. Closed on 25 December and 1 January
Website: www.museojoaquinpeinado.com
Telephones: (+34) 952 871 585
PIZARRA
PIZARRA MUNICIPAL MUSEUM
Address: Cortijo Casa Blanca. Ctra. C 337 Carmana- Álora, Km. 2.3
4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 483 237
RINCÓN DE LA VICTORIA
CASA FUERTE DE BEZMILIANA
Address: Avda. del Mediterráneo, 149
to 10:00 p.m.; Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 2: 00 p.m.
Website: www.rincondelavictoria.es
Telephone: (+34) 952 402 300
DEL TESORO CAVE - DE LA VICTORIA CAVE
Address: Urb. Cantal Alto, s/n
Hours: Guided tours from 15 June to 15 Sept at 10:45,
11:30, 12:15, 1:00, 4:45, 5:30, 6:15 and 7:00. Rest of
year, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 1:00, 3:45, 4:30 and 5:15.
Telephones: (+34) 952 406 162
RIOGORDO
MUSEO ETNOGRÁFICO MUNICIPAL
(MUNICIPAL ETHNOGRAPHY MUSEUM)
Address: C/Iglesia, 14
Telephones: (+34) 952 732 620 / (+34) 952 732 154
Hours: Jan and Feb, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.;
March, 10:00 to 7:00 p.m.; Apr-Sept, 10:00 a.m. to 8:
00 p.m.; Oct 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Nov and Dec,
10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Website: www.rmcr.org
Telephones: (+34) 952 874 132
MONDRAGÓN PALACE
Address: Plaza de Mondragón, s/n
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Sat, 10:00
a.m. to 1:45 p.m. and 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.; Sundays
and public holidays, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 878 450
ARAB BATHS
Address: Barrio de Padre Jesús. C/ San Miguel
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sat,
Sun and public holidays, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 656 950 937
MUSEO DEL BANDOLERO
(BANDIT MUSEUM)
Address: C/Armiñán, 65
Hours: Mon-Sun, 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Website: www.museobandolero.com
Telephones: (+34) 952 877 785
SAN PEDRO ALCÁNTARA
MUSEO DEL VINO DE RONDA
(WINE MUSEUM)
Address: C/ González Campos, 2
Hours: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Website: www.museodelvinoderonda.com
www.bodegaslasangrederonda.es
[email protected]
Telephone: (+34) 952 879 735
TOLOX
MUSEO TEMÁTICO LARA (LARA THEMED MUSEUM)
MECHANIC ART MUSEUM
Address: El Ingenio Cultural Centre. C/ La Morena, s/n
to 8:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 786 968
MUSEO DE ARTES Y TRADICIONES POPULARES
(POPULAR ARTS AND TRADITIONS MUSEUM)
Address: Public Library, ground floor
6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 487 333
TORREMOLINOS
INCA MILL
Address: Camino de los Manantiales, s/n
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 6:00 to 9:00
p.m. (summer, May-Sept); 10:30 a.m. to 1:30
.
.
Address: C/Armiñán, 29
Hours: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Website: www.museolara.org
288
MONDA CASTLE
Address: El Castillo, s/n
Hours: Daily - Telephones: (+34) 952 457 142
OJÉN
Index
289
p.m. and 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. (winter, Oct-Apr). Closed on Monday
Telephones: (+34) 952 052 401
VELEZ-MÁLAGA
MARQUISES OF BENIEL'S PALACE
Address: Plaza Palacio, 1
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 3: 00 p.m. and 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 507 401
CERVANTES'S HOUSE
Address: C/San Francisco, 22
Hours: Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Telephones: (+34) 952 502 500
MUSEO DE LAS COFRADÍAS
(FRATERNITIES MUSEUM)
Address: Church of Santa María de la Encarnación
Address: C/ Real de la Villa, 1
Hours: Tue-Sat, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and
5:.00 to 8:00 p.m.; Sundays and public holidays,
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays
Website:www.agrupacioncofradiasvelezmalaga.es
Telephone: (+34) 951 284 300
VILLANUEVA DE ALGAIDAS
BERROCAL MUSEUM
Address: C/ Granada, 20
Hours: Make an appointment in advance
Telephones: (+34) 952 743 131
.
.
290
Index
291
292

15. mONUMENTS AND MUSEUMS

Transcription

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